


Past the Point of No Return

by JustAnotherNerd1820



Category: Beca Mitchell/Chloe Beale - Fandom, Pitch Perfect, bechloe - Fandom
Genre: Abusive Relationship, Baby Beale, Chloe and Tom have a kid, F/F, F/M, Hurt Chloe, Ice Cream, Kidfic, Music, Pancakes, Trigger for anorexia, after Barden, money problems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:56:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 38
Words: 20,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25165039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnotherNerd1820/pseuds/JustAnotherNerd1820
Summary: Chloe is married to Tom from the showers, and has a kid. But she’s falling apart in her abusive relationship. Beca’s a music producer-and a very successful one at that. When Chloe collapses in the supermarket, and Beca’s neighbor finds her, the two rekindle a friendship that may blossom into something more.
Relationships: Aubrey Posen/Jesse Swanson, Beca Mitchell/Chloe Beale, Bechloe, Chloe Beale/Tom from the shower
Comments: 149
Kudos: 153





	1. Chloe

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! I’m going to try a work in progress fic where I post one chapter a day. This may or may not turn out well. I’ll try to post ‘em once a day, but I may not be able to post every day, sorry. I will start y’all off with two chapters, and then we’ll see how this goes. If you guys have things you want to see in later chapters, let me know, and I’ll see what I can do! Thanks for reading you guys, you’re the best! Also, I don’t own any of these characters.

Chloe sighed as her alarm clock went off. Rolling out of bed, she slipped into her threadbare slippers, and quietly padded down the hallway to her small kitchen. She could hear her husband stirring in the bedroom, but she knew it would be another twenty minutes at least before he got up. Putting a small handful of coffee powder in the coffee machine, Chloe set about her morning routine. As the caffeine brewed, she slipped into her daughter’s bedroom.  
“Rebbeca… sweetie… you have to get up. It’s time for breakfast.”  
“Mmm… mommy?”  
“Yes?” Chloe asked, bustling about the room, opening the window blinds and pulling out an outfit for the little girl.  
“Will you make pancakes?”  
Chloe laughed. “We had pancakes yesterday!”  
“But your pancakes are sooo good!” Rebbeca whined, pulling on her dress and leggings.  
“Not today sweetie,” Chloe replied. “You can pick a cereal to eat, though!”  
“Can I have pancakes that you mash up into little pieces and pretend that they’re cereal?”  
Chloe laughed again, then sombered. “C’mon. Daddy will be up soon.  
Rebbeca’s face fell, and talk of pancakes ceased. “I’ll pick out a cereal.”


	2. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy reading! I don’t own these characters. If I did, Bechloe would totes be a thing.

The minute Beca’s alarm went off, she snapped the clock off. She’d been up for hours, like normal, but she set her alarm anyway, hoping that one day she’d actually need it again.  
She lay in bed for a minute, planning her day. Silently, she slipped out from under the covers and stumbled into the kitchen. Popping two frozen waffles into the toaster, Beca moaned slightly, and eased herself onto a stool at her kitchen island. She put her head down on the counter, knowing that it was going to be one of those days. The waffles came up, pulling Beca out of her stupor, and she got up to pour herself a glass of juice. A bottle of wine in the fridge caught her eye, but she forced herself to bypass it, not daring to inhibit her senses for a client meeting. After breakfast and a quick change into one of her favorite outfits, Beca slipped her jacket on and walked out of her apartment.  
“Mornin’ Ms. Beca!”  
It was her next door neighbor, an old Southern lady. One of the only people Beca found herself able to say a kind word to without wanting to scream.  
“Good morning Mrs. Perdue!”  
As Beca continued down the stairs-the apartment complex didn’t have an elevator-she passed the mostly peaceful living spaces of her neighbors. Some had lights on, some had only recently turned their lights off. Beca unlocked her car, hoping she wouldn’t run into anyone else. Thankfully, her morning commute was early enough that she was able to avoid people most of the time.  
Her drive was uneventful, and her “Driving Playlist” served its purpose. As she pulled into her designated parking spot at the office, Titanium finished up. Maybe, Beca thought, today won’t be so bad.


	3. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s chapters! Today’s chapter is about Chloe and her relationship with her husband. Trigger warnings for abuse and domestic violence. Today’s is pretty short, but tomorrow will definitely have a longer chapter (maybe two). Thanks so much for reading y’all! Also, I don’t own the characters.

After dropping Rebbeca off at school, Chloe contemplated getting options. She could go home to Tom, his never ending demands, and his temper, or she could go on a run. There wasn’t much of a contest. Pulling her hair up, Chloe took a deep breath and began a slow jog. Between Aubrey’s workouts from college and her morning runs, Chloe was in the best shape of her life. Physically. Her three mile loop took her back to her house, panting and sweating. Climbing the steps was an effort, but worth it for the shower. And the best part was that she hadn’t had to talk to her husband for the entire morning.  
After her shower, Chloe sat down at her computer, tensely waiting for Tom to come in the kitchen for a beer. He hadn’t been this way in college. Well, maybe a little bit. But he hadn’t been awful. Chloe stayed with him though because of Rebbeca. He hadn’t hit Rebbeca, and that was what mattered. And their child needed a father in her life-didn’t she? Chloe had decided that if Tom hurt Rebbeca, they would leave. She didn’t know where they would go-probably to Aubrey’s-just that they would go. Pulling her headphones on, Chloe began listening to the new mix Beca had written. The song cycled through once, and Chloe forced herself to pause it. She had work to do. Pulling up the book she was editing for her boss, Chloe switched her brain to Russian, and immersed herself in the story.


	4. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! This is a little early, but I’m not sure if I’ll get a chance to post tomorrow. If I do, bonus for y’all. I don’t own any of these characters, but thanks for reading anyway!

Beca was pacing in her office. She wasn’t usually this tense before a meeting, but she couldn’t help it. She wasn’t even sure why she was so tense. It probably had to do with her having gotten no sleep, being a little more than slightly hungover, and the fact that she was meeting with Aubrey. Beca hadn’t talked to almost any of the Bellas since graduation. When her boss told her that they were hiring a lawyer for all the claims against their company, Beca thought nothing of it. She just smiled, nodded, and went back to burying herself in her music. When he told her they had found one she smiled blithely, and moved on. She wasn’t the lawyer to contact her at all. She wasn’t expecting to get a note from said lawyer later that telling Beca that she wanted to talk. And she definitely wasn’t expecting that the lawyer would be Aubrey. But it was and she had agreed to the meeting and now Beca was in a state.  
She had picked up the habit of pacing in college from Kimmy Jin, who paced whenever she was working on an essay. Which was a lot of the time. It wasn’t ideal, but it helped soothe her. Kind of. Really, Beca only had one thing that truly soothed her. But she didn’t talk about that anymore.  
She heard a knock at her door. Beca took a deep breath, and opened it, bracing herself for the PTSD of seeing Aubrey again. But it didn’t come. Instead, a bone crunching hug came, surprising-annoying-Beca.  
“Beca! I can’t believe I finally found you!”  
“Aubrey, I’m practically a national television star. It’s not that hard to find me.” Beca was more than a little miffed about the hug. Although, she had to admit that some personal interaction was nice. Not that she’d ever say that out loud. Reflexively, Beca thought of Chloe-like she always did when being hugged. Not that Beca was hugged often.  
Aubrey took a step back from Beca, giving her a once over. “I have been trying to get in touch with you for over six years Beca.” Aubrey’s brisk manner was returning. “And by the way, you look awful.”  
Beca didn’t even bother trying to laugh. “I’m fine Aubrey, don’t worry about me. What are you here for?”  
“Beca, please tell me you were paying attention during the meeting where your boss told you exactly what I’d be doing here.”  
Beca looked at Aubrey rather blankly. “I was?”  
The blonde gave a small groan, but Beca could tell she was just keeping up appearances.  
“I am here to help with charges of harassment and other things that your fans try and claim you do.”  
Beca still looked blank.  
“Are you sure you’re okay Beca?”  
“Yeah. Yeah Aubrey. I’m fine, just tired.”


	5. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thanks for sticking with me! I don’t actually speak Russian, so I just used Google Translate, so let me know if it’s wrong. Let me know what you think, and if there’s anything you hope to see in future chapters! Y’all are the best!

“Chloe? Chloe?”  
It was Tom. He was awake, and he was ready for breakfast.  
“Ой! Доброе утро, Том!” It was one. Chloe had been reading for nearly four hours, and she had a tendency to speak in Russian when she’d been immersed in the language for a while.  
“Chloe you know I can’t understand you when you speak in that blasted made-up language of yours.” Tom began rummaging through the cupboards, looking for something for his refined palate.  
Chloe gave a small sigh, switching her brain out of the harsh language that she loved. “Good morning, Tom.”  
Tom grunted. “It would have been good if you had made pancakes.”  
Chloe sighed again, more audibly this time. “I can’t make pancakes all the time, or else you’d grow tired of them.”  
Tom rolled his eyes, and Chloe’s dropped to the floor.  
“I have to go to the grocery store,” she mumbled, speaking to the floor. “I’ll pick up some stuff for pancakes there.”  
Tom nodded. “Get some beer while you’re there too. We’re almost out.”  
Chloe raised an eyebrow. “I bought an eighteen pack last week. And you finished off that bottle of wine on Friday.”  
Tom gave a low growl. “Get the beer.”  
Chloe nodded. “Okay.”  
Sliding into the front seat of the minivan, Chloe sighted and laid her head on the dashboard. She was exhausted. Really, she just wanted to take a nap. Also, she was really hungry. There wasn’t time or money for lunch though. Plugging the key into the ignition, Chloe made her way to the store.  
Pulling into the parking slot farthest from the store, Chloe grabbed her shopping bags and made her way into the store. Carefully shifting her list to her left hand and her bags to her right, Chloe ignored the pounding in her head that probably had something to do with the fact that she hadn’t eaten anything of real nutritional value for two days.  
As she slowly gathered the items on her list, Chloe felt her head fog up. Her bags felt heavier than they had when she walked in the store, and not because she had been filling them with food. The frozen food section was last, and Chloe was so tired. As she was reaching for a bag of frozen peas, Chloe felt her legs give out beneath her. She collapsed.


	6. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to leave you on a cliffhanger with Chloe (*laughs evilly*), but you’ll find out what happens to her soon. But longer chapter today, hope y’all enjoy!

Aubrey took Beca out for lunch, and despite their history and their awkward reunion, they were relaxed.  
“So Beca,” Aubrey began. “Do you have a muse?”  
Beca laughed. “Going straight to the hard questions are we?”  
Aubrey smiled. “Do you though?”  
Beca but her lip, unsure if she should tell Aubrey or not. “Yes?” she replied, as if she wasn’t entirely sure.  
“Yes you do, or yes you don’t know?”  
“Yes, I do have a muse.” Beca paused, and Aubrey opened her mouth. “And no you aren’t allowed to know who they are.”  
“Is it a guy or girl?” Aubrey was curious, but she was trying to keep on Beca’s good side.  
The brunette sighed. “Aubrey, this isn’t twenty questions. I will not tell you who sh-they, are.”  
“They’re a girl!” Aubrey seemed way too excited about this.  
“Fine. Yes, they’re a girl, but no more.” Beca mimed sipping her lips and throwing away the key. “How about you? Any muses in your life?”  
Aubrey smiled. “Let’s just put it this way. My vocal chords might get ripped out by wolves at some point.”  
Beca gasped. “No! You are not dating Jesse!”  
Smiling, Aubrey stood up. She’d finished her meal. “I am. And I am also going back to the office. I’ve got tons of paperwork.”  
Beca also rose. “Let’s go,” she said, leaving a five dollar bill on the table as a tip.  
Back at the office, Beca wasn’t really sure what to do. She was in that stage of music production where she had loads of ideas bouncing around in her head but she didn’t have a place to put them. It was one of her least favorite parts of making music. Grabbing her coat, Beca walked to the door, letting her secretary know that she was heading out. Beca was lucky in the sense that she didn’t really have a set amount of hours, so long as she got her music in on time.  
She went to the park. It was a special place for Beca. She wasn’t really sure why, only that it gave her a nice feeling of relaxedness and comfort. The kids’ screams from the playground did nothing to deter her from the swings. As Beca sat down, a flash of red hair caught her eye. Shaking her head, the music producer slowly pumped her legs, allowing the swing to pull her higher and higher. She was small enough that people often mistook her for a teenager, something Beca didn’t mind when it came to hanging out in a park by herself. Beca felt a weight on her left-someone had joined her on the swings. Opening her eyes, the woman glanced over and saw the redhead child again.  
“Hi,” the little girl piped up. “My name is Rebbeca. I like singing and dancing and my mom’s pancakes.” She paused, concentrating on raising her swing. “She doesn’t eat them much, though. She doesn’t eat a lot. My mommy is really pretty. Hey! I know you!”  
Beca was rather taken aback by this. Where would the small child know her from? Beca certainly had never seen her before, although she did look vaguely familiar. But Beca didn’t get any words out without the girl continuing.  
“You’re in one of the pictures my mom has hanging up in her room!” The girl closed her eyes, as if trying to remember something. “Third from the left. Next to the creepy looking girl with really long black hair. And in front of a fat girl with blonde hair.”  
Beca started at Rebbeca. “Are you…” she couldn’t help but hope. “Chloe Beale’s daughter?”


	7. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! We’re back to Chloe, who is not doing so hot right now. Don’t worry, I think it’ll get better from here, but no promises because I have honestly no clue. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

The lights were really bright. And it was loud. Too loud. Chloe tried to sit up, but was pushed back down my hands, hands that she couldn’t see the faces they belonged to. Everything was blurry.  
Chloe made a sound in her throat, as though she was going to speak but she didn’t have anything to say. The world slowly stopped spinning, and Chloe felt strong hands help her up.  
“Are you okay ma’am?” A voice with a strong Southern accent rang out.  
Chloe nodded slowly. “I think so.”   
“You’re skinny as a chicken who hasn’t been fed for a week.”  
Grimacing, Chloe forced herself to rise. “I haven’t been eating, but I will when I get home.”  
The old woman raised an eyebrow. “Sweetie, you look like a trustworthy person, but I don’t believe you right now. Here.” She reached in her purse and pulled out a granola bar. “You aren’t allergic to peanuts are you?”  
Shaking her head, Chloe let herself take the bar and have a small bite from it. She grimaced but forced the food down her throat. It tasted like sandpaper, and immediately she regretted even considering food. As though it were her fault she was human enough that she needed to eat.  
“It’s good,” she said, faking a smile that the woman instantly saw through.  
“Honey. I’m not sure what’s going on in your life right now, but you’re not okay. Do you have someone who will help you back home?”  
Chloe’s mind instantly jumped to Beca, who had helped her through college-forcing the redhead to eat if she needed to. Chastising herself, Chloe shook her head. Beca had been cut off contact years ago and Aubrey… well, Aubrey wouldn’t understand. She’d help, or try to, but Chloe knew it wouldn’t be enough. And Rebbeca was too young to help. Not that Chloe would ask that off her daughter at any age.  
“Okay sweetie. My name is Priscilla Perdue. I am a retired lady who you have no reason to trust, but I want to help you. Would you be able to come to my house so we can have a more private discussion?”  
Chloe stared at the woman for a solid couple seconds, cocking her eyebrow.  
“How do I know you aren’t trying to kidnap me?”  
“You don’t. I would give you my address and you could drive to my apartment in your car with your shopping. Of course, I realize that this is all very abnormal, but I hope you trust me.”  
Chloe didn’t want to, but she did. “I would love to, but I have to pick my daughter up from school.”  
The woman nodded. “If you want, you could pick her up and then come to my place.” Pausing, she added, “ I completely understand if you wouldn’t want to. I must sound like a deranged old lady.”  
Chloe gave a wry smile. “That sounds like a plan. I’ll get my daughter and we’ll come and get acquainted.”


	8. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for some serious slow burn y’all. Beca and Chloe have finally met, and, well, just see what happens.

The little girl-Rebbeca-nodded. “She’s my mommy.” Sighing, the little girl added, “she makes the best pancakes. But she never eats any of them.”  
Beca frowned. Chloe loved her pancakes like she loved a kitten or a small dog. She would never give up a chance to eat them. Except, Beca did remember a time when Chloe refused to eat practically anything.  
“Does your mom have any favorite foods?” Beca had to know. Chloe might be slipping back into her destructive habits. The brunette hoped not.  
“She likes to eat soup and… and… she doesn’t really eat that much.”  
Beca nodded, heart beginning to pound and stomach dropping. “Well your mom sounds pretty awesome. What do you like to do with her?”  
“I like to play hide and seek with her and also I like to play at the park with her.”  
“Yeah,” Beca asked. “Is she here now?”  
“No. After school I play at the park until she comes to get me. I don’t talk to strangers and I don’t do anything dangerous.”  
Beca gave a small laugh. That sounded like something Chloe would say.  
“All right. When is she supposed to come get you?”  
The small girl checked a purple plastic watch with a flower in the middle.  
“She should be here soon. Sometimes she’ll take me for ice cream. But she hasn’t recently, she told me we didn’t have money to spend on snacks.”  
Beca nodded. “Well, maybe sometime I could take you for ice cream. That’d be fun wouldn’t it?”  
Rebbeca’s eyes lit up. “That would be so much fun! I’ll get chocolate. No. Raspberry. Or, maybe I’ll have mint chip.” The small girl made a frustrated noise. “There’s so many choices!”  
They swung quietly for a minute, and then Rebbeca jumped off her swing. “Mommy!”  
Beca stood up. She’d thought that was ready to see Chloe again, but now she wasn’t sure. The brunette turned to go before Chloe saw her, but Rebbeca grabbed her hand.  
“Mommy! I found her!”  
“Rebbeca! What have I told you about talking to stran-“. Chloe’s stomach dropped. “Beca? Oh my gosh! Is that really you?”  
“In the flesh,” Beca said, a blithe smile adorning her face.  
“I see you’ve met my daughter,” Chloe continued, uncomfortably cordial.  
“Yes,” Beca replied. “She’s very sweet, you’ve raised her well.”  
Chloe’s smile relaxed a little. “Thank you. I would love to stay and chat, but I have a prior engagement.”  
Crestfallen, but trying not to let it show, Beca nodded. “Could we exchange phone numbers? I’d love to catch up with you sometime.”  
“Um… yeah! Sure!” Chloe reached in her purse and pulled out her phone. “Here.” She handed it over to Beca.  
“Still as trusting as always aren’t you Beale?” Beca asked.  
“Yup,” Chloe said, a small note of sarcasm in her voice.  
“Well Beale, I must be going as well. Text me. Or call. Please?” Beca knew she sounded like she was begging, but she couldn’t let Chloe slip away again.  
“Mommy?” It was Rebbeca. “Mrs. Beca told me we could go get ice cream maybe.” She hesitated. “Could we go sometime? Not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But sometime?”  
Chloe bit her lip, forcing back the tears welling in her eyes. She nodded. “Of course, yes, as long as Mrs-?” Chloe glanced at Beca, who corrected her quietly.  
“Ms.”  
“As long as Ms. Beca said it was okay.”  
Nodding, Beca gave the redhead duo one last smile, then left to her small, black Subaru.


	9. Chloe

Chloe nearly collapsed after she buckled Rebbeca and herself in the car. _Beca. Had been there. Had talked to her daughter._ A flash of anger struck in Chloe’s heart, but it was quickly replaced by happiness. She’d found Beca. Well, actually, Beca had found her. And the scary part was, Chloe’s feelings hadn’t changed.  
“Mommy?” It was Rebbeca. “Where are we going?”  
Chloe broke out of her stupor. “I found a friend today! Not Ms. Beca, but someone else who invited us over.”  
Rebbeca smiled and bounced happily along to Chloe’s CD as they followed a small, black Subaru to an apartment building.  
It was funny, Beca used to have one that looked just like that in college. They pulled in the parking lot behind the car, but it turned to a different lot than Chloe.  
Rebbeca has fallen asleep in her car seat, so Chloe had to wake her up and then carry the young girl to the apartment number the old lady had written down. Chloe didn’t realize how big Rebbeca had gotten-the girl was heavier than Chloe remembered.  
Knocking gently, Chloe set Rebbeca down. The small redhead leaned against her mother.  
“Mommy can I have a snack?”  
Chloe grimaced slightly. “I’m sorry Rebs. I didn’t bring a snack today.”  
Rebbeca began to pout, and before Chloe could try and cheer her up the door opened. Chloe didn’t have the energy to try to make Rebbeca happy.  
“Hello again,” she said to the old woman. “This is Rebbeca.”  
“Mommy won’t give me a snack,” Rebbeca claimed. “And I’m hungry.”  
Mrs. Perdue glanced at Chloe out of the side of her eye. The eye contact made the redhead nearly burst into tears.  
“Well don’t fret! I have plenty of snacks! Would you like some dried apricots?”  
Chloe smiled gratefully over Rebbeca’s head.  
“Oh yes!” Rebbeca cried. “I love dried apricots!”  
The old woman beckoned the girl in, and she skipped into the room, all troubles gone.  
Chloe followed, still hesitant, but she couldn’t very well leave Rebbeca.  
“I don’t want to intrude,” she said as she walked in.  
“Oh no, dear. It’s no trouble at all. You seem like a lovely young lady, and your daughter is absolutely beautiful.”  
“Oh thank you,” replied Chloe. She was used to empty compliments like that, especially when it involved Rebbeca, but she had the feeling Mrs. Perdue wasn’t just making blank conversation.  
“And you too are very pretty,” continued the old woman.  
“Oh thank you, but I’m not really that pretty,” Chloe said.  
“Always take a compliment child,” the little old lady said, and she looked like she was about to continue, but Rebbeca came bouncing into the room.  
“Someone’s knocking on the door. Can I open it?”  
Mrs. Perdue smiled, “sure dear. Let’s go see who it is.”  
They made their way to the door. Rebbeca opened it, turning the handle with an enthusiasm Chloe didn’t even know was possible.  
“Rebs, calm down a little, ‘k baby?”  
Rebbeca nodded. “‘K mommy.”  
But when the door opened and Beca was standing there, Rebbeca squealed and knocked Beca to the ground.


	10. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter today guys, but I posted two so, that’s good. Thanks for sticking with me, even though neither of us have any idea where this is going. :)

Beca fell to the floor as a small blur hit her in the stomach. A grunt flew from her mouth.  
Standing up, Beca brushed herself off, laughing slightly. “I didn’t know you had trained your cats to attack the mailmen!”  
Mrs. Perdue chuckled, and accepted the bundle of letters from Beca.  
“Ms. Beca, this is-“  
“Chloe Beale,” Beca finished.  
“You know her?” The silver haired woman asked.  
“We keep meeting,” muttered Chloe, Right Hand Man from Hamilton beginning to bounce around her brain.  
“As I was saying, sir,” Beca continued, catching on to Chloe’s quote. “I look forward to seeing how your strategy will play out.”  
“Burr?” Chloe asked.  
“Sir?”  
“Close the door on your way out.”  
Beca saw the face Chloe made when she needed to make a hard decision. The door shut in Beca’s face.


	11. Chloe

Rebbeca tugged in Chloe’s sleeve. “Mommy, that was mean. That was Ms. Beca! I wanted to play with her.”  
Thousands of thoughts were flying through Chloe’s head. Namely, what the heck was Beca doing here? Chloe had hoped she was fine with the brunette. Her empty promises to Rebbeca of maybe seeing Beca again had been just that, empty. But Beca showed up again, and Chloe’s heart leapt, just the same as it always did when Beca walked into a room.  
Mrs. Perdue watched Chloe closely, but didn’t say anything.  
“Come on dear,” she said to Rebbeca. “Let’s give mommy a minute alone. We’ll go see what we can find for a snack.”  
They walked to the kitchen, leaving Chloe with her brain swirling as if Charybdis herself was lodged inside her head. She wasn’t sure what she was doing. _Why had she accepted the old woman’s help? Why had she felt that help was needed at all? She had always done it on her own. The deaths, the anxiety, the food… well, maybe not the food, but the other stuff. She was raising a perfectly normal daughter alone! Thoughts and memories swished through her brain like mouthwash. Rebbeca on the swings, screaming with joy. Amy, jostling her way to the Bella’s cup of Boone’s Farm. Tom, hitting her again and again. Beca, laying on Chloe’s bed, laptop and headphones skewed aside as she snuggled close. Two graves, with dates far too close together. Beca, ice cream dripping down her face, mixing with tears, as she cried over Jesse. Rebbeca, in the hospital, Chloe watching her tiny baby face, with Tom nowhere to be found. Rebbeca._ Chloe shot up from the floor-when did she get on the floor? Rebbeca had left, where was she? The little girl came bounding in the room with a small plate of carrots.  
“Mommy! I got all orange things for snack! Mrs. Perdue even let me have orange juice!”  
Chloe smiled, teeth stretching her gums, pulling herself together for her daughter. Her daughter needed her more than Beca. More than Chloe needed herself.  
“Mrs. Perdue said you should have some carrots! They’re big carrots. She said they’re from her garden! Mommy, we should grow a garden.”  
Chloe smiled, a real one this time, and let Rebbeca chatter on as the small girl led her to the kitchen and sat her down, handing her carrots, and Chloe had a stunning feeling of being the child, and Rebbeca the mom.


	12. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Short chapter today-I know I keep saying this, sorry my chapters aren’t longer. Anyway, I hope y’all are liking it so far, and thanks for reading!

Beca was stunned. Chloe had just shut the door in her face, without explanation, without any real words, just a small gasp and the face she made when too many things were happening in her head. Beca couldn’t just stand in front of the door all day though. She forced herself to climb the steps to her floor, walk to her apartment, key open the door, and finally allowed herself to fall on the bed in despair. She’d been doing really well that day too. When Aubrey walked her back to the office, Beca had even caught a glimmer of hope suggesting that maybe she’d be able to sleep more hours than fingers on her hand.  
But then Chloe rejected her. Beca started shaking, her body tightening, and her head starting to spiral out of control. Chloe had anxiety, Beca had depression, _they were so put together_ , Beca mused through the fogginess of it all. It was funny though, whenever they were together, Beca actually did sleep. And it was so much easier to get out of bed when she wasn’t just getting out of bed for herself. She was getting out of bed for Chloe.  
Her phone buzzed, but Beca ignored it. _It probably was just spam. No one texted her. No one cared. Even Chloe had rejected her._ Beca squirmed under her covers, clothes and shoes and all, pushing all the stuff on her bed off, and lay in it, letting the darkness envelop her, wishing she would sleep.


	13. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! We’re back with Chloe today, and there’s a trigger warning for anxiety attacks, so don’t read it if you think that could pose a problem for you. I hope you’re all doing well, and that you enjoy this chapter!

Chloe texted Beca, as Rebbeca prattled on and Mrs. Perdue nodded, giving the girl more attention than she’d probably had in her life. A sudden rush of guilt flashed through Chloe. She wasn’t a very good parent. She hadn’t been a very good friend either, she thought, glancing down at her phone. A momentary interruption to the routine of her life had thrown her off. It wasn’t like she randomly met up with old college friends through her daughter every day. She didn’t even really talk to Aubrey that much anymore. Chloe wasn’t sure whether it was because she didn’t want them to try to help her, or because she didn’t want anyone to see them see her in the situation she was in. Unconsciously, her hand moved to her thigh where she was still scarred from that first night. She shuddered, the dam she’d worked so hard to put up in her mind cracking.  
Rebbeca jumped on her lap, stemming the overwhelming flow of thoughts. “Mommy! Mrs. Perdue said we could stay for dinner if we wanted!”  
_Dinner._ Chloe swore in her head. She’d forgotten all about dinner. Beca had driven all other thoughts from her mind. Including her husband.  
“Oh um… I’m sorry, we can’t stay. I must be getting home to my husband. He’ll uh… he’ll be waiting.  
Mrs. Perdue nodded. “Of course dear. I’ll give you my telephone number-if it’s not crossing a line?”  
Chloe shook her head. “No, if you’ll tell it to me, I’ll put it in my phone.”  
Mrs. Perdue looked confused for a moment, then smiled. “Ah you have a fancy phone. One of those that fit in your pocket.”  
Chloe nodded, a small smile spreading on her face too. Old people would be old people, no matter how young and inviting they seemed.  
They exchanged numbers, and Chloe and Rebbeca began their journey home. Chloe had a small knot in her stomach, but she wasn’t sure if that was because she had eaten more in the past two hours than she probably had in the past week, or because Beca still hadn’t texted back. Beca _always_ texted back. Unless she was in one of her moods. Chloe swore in her head-she had to set a good example for Rebs- _what if she had put Beca into a mood?_ She hadn’t meant to make Beca upset. Although, she obviously had. Thoughts began to bang around in her head as Rebbeca sang along to CD. She could feel the panic attack building, but she couldn’t do anything she had to focus on the road. A sign for McDonald’s caught her eye, and an idea lit up in her worry-fogged brain.  
“Rebs, do you want McDonald’s?”  
“Yes mommy! Yes yes yes!”  
Chloe pulled through the drive through as fast as she could, and parked in a parking spot as Rebbeca pulled open her Happy Meal.  
Chloe put her head on the steering wheel, eyes closed, counting.  
_Five things you can touch. The steering wheel, my shirt, my hair, my phone in my pocket, my watch.  
Four things you can see. _Chloe flickered her eyes open, and began to raise her head, breathing deeply as she did so. _The steering wheel, Rebbeca in the mirror, my sunglasses on the dashboard, the grass through the windshield._  
Three things you can hear. Rebbeca munching on her food, the cars passing on the road, my phone buzzing in my pocket.  
Something registered in Chloe’s brain regarding her phone, and she snapped up, ignoring the fact that she still could feel panic bubbling slightly in the pit of her stomach. She pulled out her phone, texts from Tom popping up initially, but she ignored those when she saw who was calling. It was Beca.


	14. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Still chugging along here with this fic. I honestly am not sure how long it’ll be, but I’m thinking it will probably be done by middle of August at the latest. Y’all‘ve been with me about two weeks now, and I would just like to thank you for that. You guys are the best!

Beca had been under the covers for about five minutes when she realized what she had to do. She really didn’t want to, but she pulled her phone under the cocoon of blankets, ignoring the text from Aubrey, and dialing a number she still knew by heart. Her finger brushed over a wrong number, shaking, and Beca almost reconsidered. In fact, she did reconsider. Pulling up her playlist, Beca put it on shuffle, hoping for a sign. _Titanium_ was the first song up, and Beca knew she had her sign. She finished dialing, wishing the berating rings of the waiting noise was a song or at least a little tune that was far less annoying than the one it was. Two rings. Three. Beca held her hand over the phone, readying herself to cancel. Five rings. Six. Chloe picked up. Beca panicked. She didn’t say anything, and neither did Chloe.  
“Beca?” Chloe made the first move.  
“Uh… hi. Yeah, that’s what normal people say on phone calls. Hi.” Beca played a piece.  
“Hi.” A pause. “Did you call me to say something?”  
Beca had stopped listening to the words, and let herself feel the cadence of Chloe’s voice. “Oh… uh… yeah. I mean. No? I don’t know Chloe. I just… we need to talk.”  
Silence. “Okay. When’s a good time for you?”  
Beca pretended to herself that she was picturing her empty calendar, when really she was analyzing every breath Chloe took, every hesitation and swallow. “I’m… uh… I’m available next week? Or this week. Any time really. You?”  
“Maybe during the day? When Rebbeca’s at school? Of course, you probably have work then.”  
“No,” Beca replied immediately. “Well, I mean, yes, I do have work, but I could make time.” She was distracted by the edge in Chloe’s voice. Not the one that Chloe got when she was angry, but the one that crept into her voice after being flat on her back, crying, struggling to catch her breath. “Do you have a place in mind or-“  
“Rebbeca, are you okay?” The sound of crying filled the speaker. “I’m sorry Beca, I’ll call you back or text you. Or you text me. Sometime this week.”  
Beca nodded, then, remembering that Chloe couldn’t see her, responded out loud. “Sure. We’ll figure something out. Text me or call if you need anything.”  
“Bye Beca.”  
“Bye.”


	15. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Pretty simple chapter today, trigger for mentions of domestic violence, so skip this chapter if that’ll trigger you. Don’t worry, this chapter isn’t really vital to the plot. Warning for future chapters that it will definitely be coming up more, so just be aware of that. Thanks for reading guys, and have a great day today!

“Rebs, what’s wrong?”  
“Mommy my toy dropped!” Chloe twisted around in her seat, as Rebbeca began to lean forward to demonstrate how she couldn’t reach it while strapped in her car seat.  
“Okay sweetie, one second all right? I’ll get it in just a second.”  
Rebbeca nodded, and resumed munching her fries. Choke put her head back down on the steering wheel and took a deep breath. _You’re going to be okay, she told herself. You’re going to go on a lunch date… oh gosh don’t use that word. It’s not a date. It’ll just be lunch or coffee or something that’s not a date._ Chloe lifted her head, refusing to let herself get lost in her thoughts. She knew what happened then. Unstrapping herself, she got Rebbeca’s toy-a pink troll with a microphone-and handed it back to her daughter.  
“All right Rebs! Ready to go home?”  
Rebbeca nodded, mouth full of chicken. The ride home was uneventful, and Chloe was nearly relaxed by the time she pulled in the driveway. The screen door opened as soon as she got out of the car, and Tom came out. _This isn’t good,_ her brain told her, but Chloe ignored it. Tom has never hit her in front of Rebbeca. What would make him start now? Tom stumbled down the stairs, clutching at the railing. He was drunk. Chloe glanced at Rebbeca who was already yawning from the day’s events. Chloe needed to keep her up longer. Tom wouldn’t hit her in front of Rebbeca.  
“Come on Rebs! Let’s go inside, and maybe you can play with your toy before bath time and bedtime.”  
Rebbeca raised her hands up, and Chloe picked up the girl, knowing it was futile to try and force her to stay awake. It was funny. Kindergarten moms at drop off complained about never getting their kids to sleep, but for Chloe, she could never seem to make Rebbeca stay up long enough. Of course, she was always dreaming by nine, but Chloe wished she could make her daughter stay up longer. _You’re a bad mother,_ the voice whispered in her head. Chloe didn’t say anything back. Rebbeca leaned her head on Chloe’s shoulder, thumb creeping toward her mouth.  
“Rebs, what did we say we’d do about our thumb?”  
Rebbeca muttered something about “not doing it” as Chloe shifted her to get up the stairs past Tom. He was on the third step from the bottom, clutching the railing like a life preserver. Chloe edged past him. She could feel Rebbeca falling asleep on her arm.  
“Rebs honey, you’ve got to stay awake for bath and story, okay?”  
Rebbeca didn’t respond, her eyelids shuttering, and Chloe felt her chest tighten. _If Rebbeca fell asleep now Tom would have a good,_ Chloe glanced at her watch. It was seven. _Eleven hours to torture her._


	16. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! This is a really short chapter, so I’m doing two today. I’m hoping to maybe start giving y’all two chapters more often, so we’ll see how that goes. Thanks for reading, and don’t worry, this will probably get better. No promises.

Beca got out of bed. Her breathing slowed. _Someone did care. Chloe cared. Chloe cared enough to answer the call. Chloe was going to meet her up for a date. Well, sort of a date. A friend date. Chloe was married,_ Beca reminded herself. _She had a child, and was probably living a wonderful life with her husband._


	17. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay definitive warnings of domestic violence here. Tom does hit our girl Chloe, which is horrid but I have put it in the plot anyway. Anxiety mentions and overall it’s a very discomforting chapter for Chloe. Thanks for reading anyway!

Chloe was putting Rebbeca down for bed, trying to drag it out for as long as she could. But Rebs was falling asleep, and Chloe could see she was only staying awake out of sheer will for her mother. Chloe sat on the edge of the bed as long as she dared, but she knew she had to leave the room and face Tom. Her stomach rumbled, but it wasn’t nearly as empty as it usually felt. Mrs. Perdue had fed her more in two hours than Chloe usually fed herself in two days. She slipped out of Rebbeca’s room, hoping that maybe Tom had gone to bed.  
It was a fruitless hope, and the empty beer bottles Chloe nearly knocked over as she made her way to the small living room didn’t ease her anxiety.  
“You’ve been in there a long time,” growled Tom. “You’re not usually that long.”  
Chloe risked a face, he had noticed she was avoiding him. “Rebbeca was having a hard time settling. I sat with her for a while. I’m not even sure if she’s asleep yet.”  
Tom stood up, rising to his full height of six feet. “My mom never sat with me,” he whispered dangerously. “She never coddled me. And look how far I’ve gotten.”  
 _Yeah,_ thought Chloe. _You’re hitting your wife just like your father hit his._ Despite the vows he’d made in college, Tom had changed once they’d married.  
Raising his hand, Tom slapped Chloe across the face. Not hard enough to create a large bruise that would get noticed. Just enough to hurt.  
Chloe didn’t flinch.  
Tom began to murmur under his breath. “You’re a useless fool Chloe. You say you have anxiety which is why you collapse. You don’t eat to punish yourself. That’s what you've said to me, but I know you’re lying. You don’t have anxiety.” He punctuated anxiety with a slap across Chloe’s chest. “You don’t punish yourself by not eating enough. You just don’t want to spend my money on food for yourself. And rightly so. You don’t even make your own money.” Tom hit her again. And again.  
And Chloe couldn’t help herself. She screamed. Immediately Tom shoved her against his chest, muffling her voice. “Shut up,” he hissed. “Shut up or I will hurt you more.”  
Chloe took a deep breath. Or tried to, it was difficult because she was shoved into Tom’s shirt. He smelled of beer. He used to smell of chlorine and tomatoes. Now she claimed she was allergic to tomatoes. She couldn’t stand the smell of them. She wasn’t even sure why he always smelled of tomatoes. He just did, it was part of him. _Tom_ atoes.  
He pushed her back off his chest, and held her at arm’s length. “Put some ice on your eye,” he grunted, then sank back into the couch, leaving Chloe alone in her misery.


	18. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another two chapters today, although I’ll probably only post one tomorrow. I hope that so far y’all are enjoying my writing, even if the chapters are fairly short. Thank you so much for reading!

Beca woke in the middle of the night. Or more accurately, the very early morning. She rolled over, and saw on her clock that it was nearly three. She’d slept for eight hours. _Wow,_ she thought. _You actually slept. You did good Beca._  
She smiled as she made herself breakfast. She worked at odd hours. Humming as the toast went in, Beca pulled out the juice and then directly set it back down and pulled out her laptop from where it had slid under her bed. Toast forgotten, Beca pounded at the keys with the fervor only an artist who has had a breakthrough could understand. Everything else in the world dropped out of existence as Beca worked. Her phone buzzed on the counter, but it was of no importance to her. She had a song in her head and she had to get it out. And it did, it was choppy and rough in some places by the time she looked up an hour and a half later, but it was out of her head and Beca could breathe again. Taking a deep breath, she glanced at her phone. Chloe had texted. Beca glanced at the clock, and raised an eyebrow. Chloe had been up for nearly as long as her. That was never good. Chloe’s anxiety levels always skyrocketed when she didn’t get enough sleep. She overlooked the time, and glanced at the message.  
_Tomorrow: that café near Gap at ten._  
Beca smiled. Cryptic texts had always been Chloe’s department, even if they weren’t really that cryptic. _Okay_ , she replied and returned to her computer, heart pounding just a little faster, and just a little more blood pooling in her cheeks, Chloe’s text the sustenance she needed to continue.


	19. Chloe

Chloe texted Beca early in the morning, not expecting a reply until at least lunchtime. Well, lunchtime for normal people. For Chloe it was, pretend not to notice how much your stomach actually wants food time. But Beca texted back right away. Frowning, Chloe checked the time. Beca was never up this early. She wasn’t a morning person. Chloe rubbed her shoulder, hoping the bruises would be gone by the next day. _They won’t be,_ the voice in her head told her. _You know that. I know that. It’s your fault too. You should be a better wife._  
Grimacing again, Chloe stood up from where she’d been on the floor. Tom was in the bedroom. She hadn’t made it to the couch.  
Gently touching her hand to her face, Chloe did a damage assessment. Nothing broken. Just painful. She walked silently to the bathroom and did her best to cover up the bruises on her face. As for the rest, she’d have to hope that no one looked too closely at her shoulders or the spot where her pants didn’t quite meet her ankle socks. She was in for a long day.


	20. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I hope y’all are doing well, and that you enjoy today’s chapter. I haven’t done this for other chapters-will someone let me know if I have to please?-but I don’t own any of the characters. I wish I did though, that’d be really cool and Bechloe would totally be canon. Anyway, thanks for reading today, and enjoy!

_It’s been a successful day,_ thought Beca as she lay in her bed, quietly content for the first time in a while. Her brain wasn’t trying to kill her by overheating and overthinking. She rolled over, content, and managed to fall asleep without too much thought.  
***  
Beca awoke at seven, a normal feeling already beginning to come to fruition in her body. She dressed, had some cereal, showered-not necessarily in that order-and then glanced at her phone, expecting a cancellation from Chloe. Nothing. Not even a read receipt on the text. Her brow furrowed, but she figured that if Chloe didn’t show up, she’d work on her music for an hour, then head into the studio to see what they would have to say about her new song. She closed her eyes and set an alarm for 9.45, hoping she wouldn’t fall asleep because alarms never really worked. Then she realized how pathetic it really was to be sitting in your kitchen with your head down, a computer blasting-well, not blasting, but playing rather loudly-and dreaming about a girl who was already married. She was thirty two for goodness sakes! Standing up, Beca figured she might as well do something. She turned on the television, hoping to catch up on the TV show, _Good Omens_ while she passed time. She stopped before hitting Amazon when she saw what was on the news. “Beca Mitchell, three time GRAMMY award winner, and only three years on the scene. She has produced some of the most widely received music around the world, and _she’s only just getting started._ ”  
The studio audience chortled at that-a reference to one of Beca’s songs. She rolled her eyes and turned on her show. As she did, a thought crept into her head. _Did Chloe watch her interviews? The appearances on_ Ellen _and_ Fallon? She supposed not, Chloe was probably too busy to obsess over Beca the way Beca obsessed over her. Sighing, she settled into her couch, banking on her alarm to remind her to get to the cafe on time.  
***  
Beca was late to the cafe. She’d fallen asleep, and hadn’t woken up until 10. She had scooted out of her house as fast as she could, but by the time she got to where she thought the cafe was, she was out of breath and lost. Groaning, she sat down and pulled out her phone. _The cafe has to be around here somewhere, she thought._ Then realized Chloe had texted her directions after Beca hadn’t shown for ten minutes. Never did she think Beca wasn’t coming. She just figured Beca was lost. Following the directions, Beca turned a street corner and ran into the cafe wall. Chloe was sitting at the table closest to the corner, and saw the whole thing.  
“Beca, attacking the wall will not make you any earlier. Come sit down and you can tell me all about the GRAMMYs. I hear they have excellent food.”  
Beca smiled because it was just like old times, only the topic had changed. Sliding into the chair next to Chloe, she ordered her drink, and they easily fell back into their old patterns of conversation.


	21. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thanks for reading today’s chapter. Hoping to see some Bechloe action real soon, and maybe push Tom out of the picture forever! Not in a murder way though. That’d be a little far. Anyway, y’all are the best, and happy reading!

As soon as Beca hadn’t shown up, Chloe’s heart lurched, but refused to assume the worst. She sent directions to her, hoping Beca wouldn’t bail. She stirred her drink-a hot coffee, black-and watched the corner where people were bustling back and forth. _She probably won’t come,_ she reminded herself. _She’s a three time GRAMMY winner. She probably doesn’t have time for old college friends. Beca hadn’t even texted you in two years._ The panic was liquidizing itself and sneaking through the cracks of Chloe’s brain. She was about to get up and go home when she saw Beca crash into a wall.  
“Beca, attacking the wall will not make you any earlier. Come sit down and you can tell me all about the GRAMMYs. I hear they have excellent food.”  
Beca smiled and slid into the seat next to her. Chloe breathed a little easier. _Beca does care,_ she told herself, determined not to let the little voices win.  
“Oh the food is great! But the people are even better. Katy, she’s so great. Most of the time I just stick with her. An- oh geez they’ve found me.”  
“What? Who?” Chloe turned, half expecting to see men in black suits carrying guns behind her. She wasn’t entirely wrong. Two cameras were pointed at her and Beca, and other patrons had begun to whisper.  
“The paparazzi,” Beca mumbled. “I’m going to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back. Oh and, why don’t we go back to my place. It’ll be more private.” She left without waiting for confirmation.  
Chloe pursed her lips, but figured she’d let Beca explain later.  
She wasn’t paying attention when a woman with her hair pulled up in a low bun with a baseball cap and jean jacket grabbed her arm and led her away. Chloe began struggling, but the stranger hissed at her. “Chlo, calm down. It’s me!”  
“What? Oh.” Beca had changed fast. Chloe wouldn’t have recognized her if she hadn’t said anything. “That was fast.”  
“You have to be fast. Otherwise you’re snapped up by those buzzards.” She gestured to the cameras still perched by the cafe. Chloe nodded, and followed Beca across the street. “Oh, uh, Chlo how did you get here?”  
“I walked. Don’t worry. I’ll be okay to walk home from your place so long as I have directions. I’m a lot better at navigation than you are.”  
Beca laughed, and Chloe wanted so badly to link her arm through Beca’s. To pull her close and kiss her-not the friendly kisses of college that she gave to everyone, but a real kiss that meant something. But then an overhanging branch brushed her shoulder and Tom popped in her head. _You’re married, Chloe. And Tom would never forgive you if you kissed Beca._


	22. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thank you for continuing to struggle along behind this fic. We’re starting to wrap up a little her, but it still might be another week or two. Thanks for reading, stay safe, and, as always, enjoy!

As soon as they’d begun to talk the vultures showed up. Of course they’d found her. Three GRAMMYS and all of the sudden people are stalking you. Beca tried to ignore it, but when they didn’t go away, she knew they had to leave. So she slipped on her “incognito outfit” as she had dubbed it, and together she and Chloe headed to her apartment.  
The steady stream of conversation began to peter out as they reached the lobby, and they walked in comfortable silence up to Beca’s floor. The elevator was broken.  
Holding open the door, Beca let Chloe in her house. “Welcome to my humble abode ma chérie.”  
“Why thank you mademoiselle,” replied Chloe, turning in a circle to take in the view. _It really is a nice apartment, thought Beca. And it’s big enough for another two people._ Then she stopped herself. _Chloe has a husband! Her daughter is perfectly happy with the family she has. Chloe is perfectly happy with the family she has. You’re not that girl Beca._ Even in her head she was Beca. No one was allowed to call her “Becs” aside from Chloe.  
“Ooh, Beca!” Chloe cried from behind her. “You have an actual kitchen now!”  
Beca laughed, joining Chloe in the kitchen. “I figured since you wouldn’t be cooking for me any more, I might as well learn to do it myself.” She nudged Chloe gently, testing the boundaries between them. When Chloe didn’t scream and run away, Beca relaxed a little. “Besides,” she added. “Most of the time I go out anyway. Or I eat take out at the studio.”  
Chloe gave Beca a light slap on the arm. “You promised your diet wouldn’t be mainly takeout once you left!”  
Beca gave a wry smile. “Yeah, well… would you like a grand tour?”  
Chloe smiled. Nodded. Beca led her through the apartment, spending extra time explaining how her guest rooms were never used.  
Chloe was mostly silent through the tour, nodding and exclaiming in the right places, but Beca knew something was off. When they reached the kitchen once more, Beca sat Chloe down on a bar stool and rummaged in her pantry for tea.  
“Becs, you’ve never liked tea.”  
“You said it helps stop your brain sometimes. I thought I might as well try it. Although, I have to watch the water through the window in the microwave instead of staring at the steam slowly pouring out of the kettle. It works though,” she replied, pressing the buttons to warm the water up.  
Chloe laughed, and started to stand up, but stumbled. Beca turned to her. “Are you all right?”


	23. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession time! We are officially moving forward with the plot! Thank you for reading! Y’all are the best!
> 
> Trigger warnings for domestic violence, anxiety, panic attacks, and mental illness. If I’m missing any, let me know.

There were a lot of ways Chloe could have answered Beca’s question. A simple “yes” would have worked, although it would have been a lie. A “no” would be much closer to the truth, but Chloe didn’t think she was terribly far from “all right”. She settled for a small, “kind of”.  
Beca turned away from the microwave and sat down across from Chloe. “Tell me. What’s wrong Chlo?”  
And the dam broke. The walls Chloe had tried so hard to put up and repair in her head collapsed. She began with the anxiety and how she wasn’t eating and how scared she was for Rebbeca, but she didn’t say why she was scared for Rebbeca. She paused, taking a small, gulping breath, in a state of mind only Aubrey had seen her in before.  
“Shh… Chlo, it’s alright. It’s okay. Here sweetie,” Beca began to rub Chloe’s back, and Chloe didn’t shy away like she would have with anyone else. And she began to cry again because she used to be the one who would make others uncomfortable by being in their space. She curled up into Beca’s chest, and Beca didn’t pull away either. Chloe was grateful for that. She’d stopped talking, but she knew she had to tell Beca. If she didn’t she’d be stuck forever with Tom and she couldn’t do that.  
But before she could say anything, Beca saw her shoulder. “Chloe, what happened to your shoulder?” She pushed Chloe off her chest to look at her face. Chloe stared at the ground. “Chloe? Hey, Chlo, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you upset.”  
“No. It’s fine. It’s just…” Chloe took a deep breath, steadying herself for the gust of winds that were sure to come. _It’s your fault Chloe. You married him Chloe. Tom wouldn’t hit you! He’s so sweet!_  
“You know I won’t judge you Chlo. This kitchen is a safe place.” She paused. “Safe except for when I’m cooking I suppose.”  
Chloe let out a small giggle, but then her face returned to seriousness. “Tom… I… well…”  
The expression on Beca’s face told her that she’d guessed. “Chloe,” Beca prodded gently, “does Tom hit you?”  
Chloe didn’t answer for a minute, struggling to fix her walls. _Crying is weak. Crying is for people who have other people who can take over for them when they cry._ Then she began to sob.  
“Shhh,” Beca said, rubbing Chloe’s back gently-having scooted her chair over to be closer to the redhead. “Hey, Chlo. It will be just fine. It might not be fine right now, but it will be fine. We’ll get you out of there. You and Rebbeca.” Beca stopped. “Chloe, I don’t want to make you upset, but I need to know. Does Tom hit Rebbeca?”  
Chloe let another small sob out, but shook her head. “If he did, we’d be gone. But I couldn’t do that to Rebs. She doesn’t deserve to be rooted up and trekked halfway across the country to a new school or anything. And… and…” Chloe took some hitching breaths to steady herself once more. The sobs were beginning to subside thankfully. “I have two bags packed. But if we leave we won’t go back. I know that. And I have nowhere to go. Aubrey is… well… I haven’t talked to Aubrey in a while. She… we… I suppose she didn’t approve of my marriage, and honestly, I don’t think my mom did either. Or my brothers.”  
Beca pulled Chloe closer. “You can stay here with me. I have a guest room, and I don’t mind sleeping on the couch. You can sleep in my room, and Rebbeca in the spare room.”  
Chloe was stunned. There was no, “Ew get away from me! You let your husband hurt you?” No, “This is your fault Chloe!” Beca just tried to help. Chloe relaxed a little more. “You wouldn’t mind? It’d just be for a few days. Just until I can get a job or…”  
A small beep interrupted her. “What was that?”  
Beca turned. “Oh, we forgot about the tea. It’s all right. You can stay here as long as you like. But Chlo, you have to promise me that you’ll eat.”  
Emotion flitted across Chloe’s face that even she couldn’t quite name.  
“I’ll try,” she said, burying herself in Beca’s flannel once more.  
“Right now,” Beca told her, “that’s all I need you to do.”


	24. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry I forgot to put trigger warnings up yesterday (I have fixed that now). Triggers in this chapter of anxiety, mental illness, domestic violence. But this chapter is happier than yesterday’s, albeit shorter. Thanks for reading, y’all are the best, and I can’t wait to see what you think of today’s chapter!

Beca wasn’t quite sure where to go from this. Chloe was practically in her shirt, Beca’s shirt. But she was sobbing and Beca needed to fix that. “Hey, Chlo? Okay I’m going to start making a list. Things I’m going to do. Okay?” She knew lists helped Chloe.  
Chloe nodded, still muffled in Beca, and pulled back a little. “I got makeup on you.”  
“It’s all right Chlo. It’s fine. You’re just fine. Okay?”  
Chloe gave a small shuddering breath and sat up in her chair.  
“Okay Chloe. First, we’re going to calm you down. Then we’re going to make tea.” Beca wasn’t sure why she kept saying _we,_ but she rolled with it. “Then, we’re going to go get Rebbeca from school.”  
Chloe’s body, which had been hunched and slouching in the chair suddenly bolted upright. “Oh my gosh. Rebbeca. I forgot all about her. Beca what time is it? We have to go get her at three. Oh geez oh geez.”  
Beca scolded herself internally for her mistake. “Rebs is fine Chloe. It’s one right now. It’s okay. Rebbeca is having a great time at school. It’s okay Chlo.” She stood up, and walked over to the microwave, rehearing the water they’d abandoned.  
Chloe stood up too. “Beca… I have to go.”  
“No Chloe.” Beca wasn’t entirely sure where this “super-firm-inner-Aubrey” was coming from, but she wasn’t sure she liked it. Anything to get Chloe to stay though. “Chloé you’re going to stay here until we figure out how to help you. I’m not letting you go back to Tom without a plan at least.” She paused. “If not me too.”  
Chloe looked up from where she’d been playing with her pants. “Really?”  
“Yes Chloe. You’re my best friend and I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.”  
Chloe smiled, and Beca’s heart sank just a little. She loved Chloe. But now was certainly not the time for that. She wasn’t sure if there ever would be.  
She pulled the water out and set a mug to steep on front of Chloe. “Here. It’s,” she checked the box. “Raspberry. The one you liked most.”  
Chloe smiled, and all of the sudden Beca didn’t need her to know that she was completely enamoured. She just needed to keep Chloe safe and in her life. She wasn’t going to lose her again.


	25. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the late update-my morning was super hectic. It’s a shortish chapter today, but I hope you enjoy. Triggers for domestic violence and anxiety and kind of overarching mental illness stuff. Thanks for reading!

Chloe sipped her tea, forcing her shoulders to relax. Really though, it just made her look more tense.  
“Relax Chlo,” Beca told her, sliding into the other chair, which had been scooted so that instead of two chairs it was more of a bench.  
“You do realize that if “relax Chloe” was all I needed to hear to not be anxious, there would be no reason for that prescription I keep hidden in the bottom of the one drawer Tom isn’t allowed in?”  
“Right. Sorry. It was stupid. Reflexes.” Chloe watched as Beca dug her fingers into her palms.  
“Beca,” Chloe remarked warningly. “It’s fine. I’m not offended. I’m not hurt.” She paused. “You haven't hurt me, I mean.”  
Beca nodded, releasing the pressure from her hands, but there already was some blood beading where her fingernails had dug in. “We’re à mess aren’t we? Me, who can barely say anything without overthinking it and half the time can’t even get out of bed without thinking of-“ she broke off.  
“Thinking of what?” asked Chloe. Beca was usually so open with her that for her to not say something was unusual. Although, it had taken years for Beca to open up, so maybe some of the trust had gone away. Chloe wouldn’t blame her if it had.  
“Well…” Beca began. “If you must know… I think of you. You get me out of bed. Because Chloe… Chloe don’t take this the wrong way. I would never act on it. I promise. Chloe I love you.”  
Chloe wasn’t shocked. She knew. She’d known for years. “Beca… I married Tom.”  
“I know.” Beca was close to tears. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m stupid. I’m so stupid.”  
“No no no honey no.” Chloe wasn’t even sure how this conversation had started, but she needed serious damage control right now. “Beca. I… I love you too.”


	26. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! Chapter 26, here we go. I promise I’m not entirely evil, despite what you may think. Feel free to leave any thoughts or whatnot, I am getting ready to start wrapping this up... I think. I am debating making this part one of a series, so let me know what you think.

Beca was almost more taken aback by the fact that Chloe had professed her love as well, than the fact that she herself had said anything in the first place. She hadn’t meant for it to come out. Chloe was watching her face carefully. “Beca I…”  
“Chloe…”  
And then they were hugging and crying. “Chloe,” Beca told her, “this may sound conceited, but I’d be way better at sharing a house with you than Tom.”  
“I know Beca. I know. But I live with Tom right now.” Chloe pulled away, face blotchy with tears. “And I… I don’t even know if I’d want to marry you or how far this would go.”  
She stood up, started pacing again, anxiety obvious.  
“Hey, Chlo,” Beca said, standing up too and putting her hands on Chloe’s shoulders, settling her back down into the chair. “One step at a time. We get you out of that house. You and Rebbeca. Come live with me. You can have the guest room and my room. I’ll sleep on the couch. We’ll figure this out Chlo. I promise. It won’t be pretty but it’ll be something.”  
Beca had absolutely no clue what she was doing, or how she was going to get Tom away from Chloe, but she had to get Chloe back to the ground first.  
“Beca?” asked the redhead, a tremor in her voice.  
“Yes Chlo?”  
“Beca he’s here.”


	27. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Today is kind of a filler chapter. Triggers for domestic violence and just overall mental illnesses. Sorry, I’m not great at remembering to mention the triggers. If anyone has any more they think I should add also, let me know. Thank you for reading, and have a great day!

Chloe was absolutely terrified. Although, that seemed like an understatement. _Tom had found her. How had he even done that?_ Her phone buzzed in her pocket and Chloe swore, realizing her error. Beca glanced at her, but she ignored it. _You are an idiot Chloe. You left the address on the coffee table. Oh you idiot! He is probably going to kill you. And Beca. And then Rebbeca. Oh my gosh Rebs,_ thought Chloe. She had to get out of there for Rebbeca.  
“Beca.”  
“Yes Chlo?” Beca was scared too. Chloe could tell. Two women-barely average height-against a very tall, rather shredded, male. They were probably going to lose.  
But Chloe tried not to let herself think that way.  
“Becs I need you to call nine one one.”  
“Chlo-“  
“Please Becs.”  
Chloe was near tears. She was so angry at Tom. At herself. He was standing at the door, watching her through the window. He knew she could see him. Had seen him. Was seeing him.  
Beca pulled out her phone. Dialed the number. Put it on speakerphone.  
“This is nine one one, what’s your emergency?”  
“Uh… hi,” began Beca. “Um… there’s a dangerous man outside my door. He’s been um…”  
Chloe jumped in. Beca had pushed the buttons. That was all she needed. She could do the rest. _Come on Chloe. You can do this._  
“My husband. Thomas Beale has been abusing me for the past six years. I have documentation, and he’s… he’s standing outside the door of-“  
She paused. Mouthed, _what’s your address?_ to Beca.  
“Apartment 4D of the apartment building on Seventh street. Corner of Garret Avenue. It’s dingy brick.”  
Chloe let out a small laugh.  
“Okay thank you ma’ams,” replied the operator. “Don’t let this man in the apartment, even if he tries to threaten you. Is there a way to ring everyone in the building to tell them to stay in their rooms?”  
Beca shook her head, until Chloe nudged her, and said “no.”  
“Okay. We’ll send some people as soon as possible.”  
“Please don’t hang up,” whispered Chloe. “Please.”  
She couldn’t do it. Her resolve was crumbling. The only thing keeping her from collapsing was the stranger on the phone.  
“I had no intention of it ma’am. We try to avoid hanging up on people.”  
Chloe breathed a sigh out, and moved closer to Beca. If anything relieves tension, it’s the fact that the abusive husband of the woman who is a shell of herself is staring at you through the window of a famous music producer’s door. _Although, thought Chloe. I would not recommend it as a strategy to make friends._  
She pulled Beca closer, unconsciously seeking out the warmth of another human that Tom had touch starved her of.  
“Chlo. Chlo. Chloe!”  
Chloe snapped herself up, and realized she was practically sitting on Beca’s lap.  
“Uh… hi.”  
Physical things had never been awkward before. They were now. It was simple.  
“Chlo if you want to make Tom leave, sitting on me won’t help.”  
Chloe laughed, but something tightened in her throat. She was about to say something when she heard the wailing of a siren down the street. That and the sound of breaking glass.


	28. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I hope y’all are doing well. More random filler stuff, but definitely some action tomorrow (maybe someone gets shot maybe someone does not get shot *crowd ooohs*). Thank you for reading, no real triggers, just mental illness, domestic violence, the like. Oh happy birthday to Harry Potter as well (July 31st), stay safe, and have an excellent day.

_Darn it now I have to pay for the window._ That was the first thought that came to Beca’s mind. That and four or five choice curse words which she didn’t say because if Rebbeca really was coming to stay with her, then she wouldn’t be allowed to swear.  
Then a gun poked itself through the window, and Beca threw all the rules she’d made up for herself in the past minute out the door. She swore, her voice mixing in the air with Chloe’s.  
“Operator, he’s pointing a gun at us.”  
“Darn right I am,” growled Tom from the window. Footsteps sounded and Tom swore. “You called the police?”  
Chloe was shaking. “Tom I did what I should have done years ago.”  
“I will take this to court!” The footsteps were louder now, and shouting could be heard from floors below.  
“Tom,” Chloe said, glancing at Beca who nodded and tried to give an encouraging look. It didn’t really work, but figured Chloe would appreciate it anyway. “Tom, I’m sorry.”  
Beca stood up from her chair. “Chloe what are you sorry for?” she hissed.  
“Beca! Let me do this,” muttered Chloe, teeth gritted, tears pulling at her eyelids, yet a certain resolve on her face as though she had finally decided to smash the spider against the wall.  
“Okay.” Beca stood behind her, off center just enough so she could see Tom’s face through the window.  
“Tom I’m sorry that I married you.” The sound of footsteps and shouting and sirens was growing louder. “I’m not sorry for Rebbeca-she was the best thing that ever happened to me.” A door slammed-probably the one to the stairs. Beca realized that the operator was still on the phone.  
“Uh… hey,” she whispered into it. “The police are here, I think we can hang up now.”  
“Okay. Good luck.” A click, and Beca was left swaying slightly on her feet, but she wasn’t falling over now. _Another two minutes Beca._ Chloe was still going.  
“Tom I won’t miss you. I’ve missed the real you for too many years. The day you first hit me, I knew you were gone. I don’t love you anymore Tom.”


	29. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! It’s been almost four weeks with y’al, and I would just like to say thank you very very much for sticking with me and my roundabout writing. We’re definitely beginning the falling action, but I’m not sure how long it’ll take me to get to the end. Once again, thank you so much for reading, and also, I don’t own any of these characters, I just use them to write stories. :)

Tom wasn’t going to hurt her. Chloe knew that. But she could see Tom’s finger tightening on the gun, and fear shut her up. Beca was behind her, and Chloe could feel how ready to attack Tom she was. Chloe couldn’t have that. Not yet. He was still armed. The gun jerked as the footsteps stopped. She could hear Tom shouting obscenities at the cops. But he hadn’t released the gun yet, and his finger was tightening and then many things happened at once. A shot rang out and the gun left the broken window. Something wet began running down Chloe’s leg, Beca began screaming. The door opened and people in uniform came streaming in. Things started to blur, then clear up, the blur again. Chloe clutched at Beca, who held her just as tightly. A pain began to register in Chloe’s leg, but she ignored it. It wasn’t bad. And then it was. She collapsed, toppling down, taking Beca with her. A man came into her view, and even though Chloe knew it wasn’t Tom, her breath hitched.  
“Hey, I need you to get onto this stretcher here.”  
Chloe looked at Beca, who nodded, then gently helped lift her up. It was nice. Chloe relaxed, shoulders loosening, but then her leg seared with pain again and she screamed.  
“Chloe, it's going to be okay. Chloe, it's going to be fine.” Beca was babbling on, Chloe was just really tired. She had to get Rebs. Struggling to sit up from where people were poking and prodding her, Chloe grabbed Beca’s hand.  
“Beca! You’ve got to get Rebbeca! Chloe pulled her phone out of her pocket, jostling one of the people near her. She threw it at Beca, who fumblingly, missed it. “The address is in there. Take her back here. We’ll figure the rest out after they get done with me.”  
Beca nodded, “Chlo, who’s riding the ambulance with you?”  
“I’ll be fine Becs. I’m a big girl.” It was harder to stay conscious now. “Get Rebs, give her some ice cream maybe.” Things began flickering and her leg hurt so badly. She was moving now, shouting to Beca who was still standing by the table. “Tell her her mom is in the hospital and she’ll be able to visit in a little bit. Oh oh oh and tell her that blue flowers are your favorite. It’s the code. That way she knows you’re allowed to pick her up.”  
Beca nodded. Chloe was almost out the door now. She looked back at Beca, a terrified expression on her face. “Beca, I’m sorry.”


	30. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Today we are seeing how Beca fairs with the police after Chloe is whisked away by the ambulance. It’s honestly kind of slow and I apologize for that. Triggers for abuse and mental illness. Brief mention of self harm. Thank you so much for reading, y’all are great.

After Chloe was escorted out by the ambulance, Beca was left in her apartment, being swarmed by police officers. She sank into the chair Chloe had been in moments earlier, relishing the slight scent of perfume still lingering in the air around it.  
“Ma’am I’m going to need you to answer some questions okay?”  
A cop was in her eye level, crouching slightly so as to see Beca’s face. Beca shut her eyes. “Does that mean I have to go to the police station?” She wasn’t a fan of police stations.  
“No, we can do them right here if you like.” The cop took a seat across from her, and held out her hand. “I’m Patty.”  
Beca shook her hand but didn’t say anything back. She wished Chloe was there. And maybe Rebbeca. Beca stood up at the thought of Rebbeca. “Hey, uh… I’m really sorry, but I have to get my… my… friend’s daughter from school.”  
She’d struggled to find the proper word to describe Chloe. It wasn’t like Chloe could really be put in words anyway.  
Patty nodded. “Of course. What time do you need to do that?”  
Beca glanced at the clock on the oven. 2.15. “About an hour.”  
“Okay, that’s fine. We’ll be done by then hon.”  
Beca involuntarily began to outwardly relax, but her mind and heart were as clenched as fists.  
“Okay, let’s start with something easy. What’s your name?”  
Beca took a deep breath. “Beca Mitchell.” She waited for the cop to react-eyes widening, “the Beca Mitchell?”-but it didn’t happen and Beca was extremely grateful.  
“Okay, good. Now, what do you know about this man?”  
“Well, he was my friend’s husband. Chloe. She’s the one who got shot-she did get shot right? That’s why you took her?”  
“Yes, she got shot in the leg. She’ll be just fine, no real harm will be done.”  
Beca’s heart unclenched just a little. “Okay, that’s good. Um… so the man-Tom-he has been hurting Chloe. I don’t know for how long. She and I haven’t really been talking. I met her daughter at the park a couple days ago and then we made some plans to see each other again.” Once she started talking she couldn’t stop. “We went to a cafe but then some fans found me and I guess Chloe left the name of the cafe on the table at her house and he stalked her there. He must have talked to the paparazzi and figured out where I went.” Beca stood up and began pacing. She clenched her fists, digging into the lines her fingernails had already made. _Beca you got Chloe shot. You have her phone too now, she can’t even call you._  
“It’s not your fault Beca.”  
Beca slumped back into the chair. “I guess.” She pulled out Chloe’s phone, realizing she didn’t have the passcode for it. “Could you, maybe, give me a minute?” She glanced around at the three other cops and then Patty, who nodded. Beca stepped into the bathroom, took a single deep breath, and let four tears stream down her face. Then she was done. Wiped off the makeup with a makeup wipe, ignoring how ugly she looked in the mirror. She didn’t have time. A thought crossed her mind, and she opened Chloe’s phone. Typed in the same password it had been in college. It worked. _Chloe after this I’m going to make you change your password._ Then she opened the notes page, because she knew it was there. That seminar in college they’d all made fun of in college was right-you might need to keep track of your abuse. Only Chloe had really taken it to heart. Maybe, she had known all along. But there, right at the top. _Tom._ Beca opened it, and inside were pictures and descriptions of the abuse. Financially, mentally, physically. It was all there. Beca almost began to cry again when she saw it. _Her Chloe._ She decided right then and there she was going to kill Tom.


	31. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Today we have triggers for hospitals, anxiety, and death. Don’t worry though, I haven’t killed Chloe (yet-I made no promises). Thank you for reading my story, it’s definitely coming to a close soon, and I just wanted to thank you all for sticking with me despite the slightly weird short chapters and rather bad writing style. You guys are the best, and thank you so much!

If you asked Chloe’s mother how Chloe lived her life, her mother would say that she lived her life in phases. She had the childhood phase, the one where she loved her mother, depended on her, the one where nothing complicated their relationship. Then there was the phase which had lasted the longest and Chloe’s mother hated the most. The one where Chloe kissed girls. The one where she kissed boys. Anna-the mother-would have shuddered. Girls don’t kiss girls. Then Chloe had the college phase, overlapping with the previous phase. She became more independent, a less frequent visitor. But once Anna and her husband had died, Chloe visited them more. Their graves. On the hill. Puffing as she reached the top. Birds chirping.  
And then instead of birds, sirens were wailing and machines were beeping.  
The first thing that crossed Chloe’s mind was _Beca_ , and then, _Mommy?_ Of course, neither were there, which made Chloe’s heart race.  
“Calm down sweetheart!” called a blue-scrubbed person from her right. “We’re taking you into surgery now.”  
“Surgery?” asked Chloe, head starting to fog-phases of consciousness and unconsciousness pulling her under and over in waves. _Phases. Like mommy used to say._  
“Yes sweetheart you have a bullet lodged in your leg. You need surgery to get it out, and then a day or two at least for recovery in the hospital.”  
Chloe began to struggle up out of the stretcher.  
“I’m fine,” she claimed as blood rushed to her head and the throbbing in her leg increased. “Really. I’m sure someone else deserves surgery more than I do.”  
“Sorry hon, doctor’s orders.”  
Chloe laid back down, heartbeat picking up and swirls of air, thoughts, and anxiety moving around her head.  
“I’m giving you the drug now, okay sweetheart?”  
Chloe didn’t reply. She was trying too hard to not have a panic attack.  
“Sweetie just relax.”  
_Easy for you to say,_ thought Chloe. _You’re not the one who was just shot by her husband, then abandoned her best friend and daughter._  
Despite the thoughts running through her mind, despite the deep-set unease in her chest, and the knowledge that she didn’t have insurance, Chloe shut her eyes as the medicine sunk in, quickly joining the realm of unconsciousness.


	32. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I think I messed up with the chapter numbering in my copy of this fic, so I am not sure how that has affected this, but anyway, today Beca and Rebs finally meet and have a little heart to heart. I might do two Beca chapters in a row, simply because Chloe is currently in surgery and as I have never been conscious for a bullet wound surgery, I’m not entirely sure what to write for that. Thanks fo reading, have a great day, and enjoy!

Once the police officers finally left, Beca put her head on the table. _Okay Beca. This is fine. You’re going to be fine. You have to be fine. You’re going to go get Rebbeca. Then you can go do something with her. Maybe get ice cream. Or you could go to a movie. Maybe both._ Beca stood, and glanced at the clock. She pulled up the address for the park Chloe picked Rebbeca up at. She didn’t trust herself not to get lost so she piled herself in her car, only vaguely registering that she didn’t have a booster seat. She pulled into a parking spot near the park, searching for the splash of red hair amidst all the blonde and brunette. There. Near the teeter totter. Beca took a deep breath and walked over, terrified. _But this isn’t for you it’s for Chloe._  
Rebbeca spotted her before she got there. “Ms. Beca!” she cried, and Beca instinctively glanced around hoping no one thought she was trying to kidnap Rebbeca. Luckily, the shouts mixed with all of the other kids’, and she went unnoticed.  
“Hey Rebbeca! I came to pick you up today! I thought it might be a fun treat!”  
The little girl frowned. “Where’s mommy?”  
Right, thought Beca. _How do I convince her that I’m not trying to kidnap her?_  
“Actually Rebs,” Beca said, kneeling down to be eye level with her. She’d read somewhere that kids like when you talk to them face to face. “Your mom is in the hospital. She told me to tell you that we should pick out some flowers for her.” Something clicked. _Blue flowers. That’s what I was supposed to say. Blue flowers are my favorite._ “I don’t know about you, but blue flowers are my favorite.”  
Rebbeca smiled and slipped her hand into Beca’s, who started a little but didn’t pull away. “I needed to make sure Mommy sent you.”  
Beca nodded. “Of course, I forgot, I’m sorry.”  
Rebbeca shook her head, hair bouncing. “It’s okay.” She paused, brow furrowing just a little and in that moment she looked so much like Chloe, Beca wanted to cry. _Chloe! Right, we’ll go to her at five. Bring dinner maybe._  
“Ms. Beca?”  
“Yes sweetie?”  
“Is mommy okay? You said she was in the hospital.”  
Beca glanced down and she didn’t know what to say. She could lie to this six year old-she knew without even trying she’d be seen through right away-but she didn’t know how much of the truth Chloe would want Rebbeca to know.  
“Your mommy got hurt by your daddy very badly. She had to go to the hospital but she’s going to be just fine. But I don’t know if your daddy will be back. You might come live with me for a while. We’re not sure yet, but your mommy and I will talk it all out with you before any decisions okay?”  
Rebbeca nodded, lip quivering a little. “Mommy will be okay?”  
“Yep! She’ll be just fine.”  
“And d-d-daddy won’t be coming back?”  
“I don’t think so.”  
Rebbeca pulled Beca towards her and all of the sudden Beca was wrapped in one of the most awkward, and yet the nicest hug, she’d had. Her knees were in an angle that she wasn’t sure she could sustain for much longer, but Rebbeca was so much like her mother in that despite what Beca said-she knew that she loved their hugs.


	33. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Second Beca chapter in a row, mostly because I figure Chloe’s I surgery or sleeping now. She’ll be next chapter though. I don’t own any of these characters, and I don’t think there are any triggers in this chapter, mostly just a Rebs and Beca bonding chapter. Let me know if you think I should add any trigger warnings in here. Thanks for reading! Y’all are the best!

When they had finished hugging, Beca looked at the small girl. “Do you want to go get some ice cream?”  
Rebbeca thought for a minute. “Could we maybe, just go home?”  
Beca’s heart broke. “We can’t go to your house Rebs, I’m sorry, but we could head over to my house if you wanted. I think you might spend the night, so we could go fix up your room.”  
Rebbeca nodded. “Okay,” she replied in a small voice.  
Beca stood up. “And maybe, if you’re good…and if you want, we can get ice cream from the store. You can pick a whole tub of whatever flavour you like.”  
Rebbeca’s eyes widened. “Wow. That’s a lot of ice cream,” she whispered.  
Beca laughed. “It would be. But how about we go to my house first, and we can figure out a little bit more about what we’re going to do, and make a plan.”  
Rebbeca nodded. “Let’s go.”  
They walked to Beca’s car, and Beca remembered she didn’t have a car seat. “Rebs, do you usually sit in a booster seat?”  
Rebbeca nodded. “Daddy said it was a waste of money though, so he sold it two weeks ago.”  
Beca wasn’t entirely sure what to do with that information. Okay, well I don’t have a seat for you either, so I’m going to need you to sit nice and ta for me, okay?”  
Rebbeca nodded seriously, as if she had just been given a commission from a Secret Service Agent.  
Sliding in the front after Rebbeca had been securely fastened in the back, Beca turned around to look at the small girl. “How do you feel about music?”  
“Oh yes! I love music,” Rebbeca told the brunette. “My favorite song is the one that mommy plays with… with…” she paused trying to remember something. “It’s a fancy word. A something.”  
“A cappella?” Beca supplied.  
“Yeah! That one. She plays this one song on her a cappella CD and she always smiles after it.”  
“I bet,” Beca said, “do you know what song it is? I can get it for us to listen to?”  
She slid her own a cappella CD into the disc slot, ready to pick a track.  
“It’s number eight,” Rebbeca told her, and Beca’s finger slipped. Number eight was the cup song.  
“Okay, here we go!” Beca’s heart was racing, her thoughts running even faster.  
Rebbeca put her hand up as the song began.  
“Rebbeca you can just ask the question, you don’t have to raise your hand.” Beca began backing out of the parking space, edging into the road.  
Rebbeca put her hand down. “Daddy likes me to raise my hand before I say things. Also, may I maybe sing with the songs? It makes me think of mommy.” Her breath hitched on “mommy” and Beca couldn’t think of any reason to say no.  
“Of course. Do you know the words?”  
“Yes. All of them.”  
Beca watched out of the corner of her eye from the rear view mirror as Rebbeca did a flawless rendition of the cup song, complete with hands. She used her body instead of a cup, slapping her thighs, but everything was in the right place.  
It wasn’t far to her apartment, and Beca slid the car into her spot as the song ended.  
“Rebbeca, that was amazing!”  
Rebbeca blushed. “Thank you. I can’t do it with an actual cup though.” She sighed. “Mommy said she was going to teach me.”  
Beca licked her lips. “Rebs, if you wanted, I could, uh, teach you the song with a cup. Then when we go to the hospital, you can do it for Chl-your mom when we go see her tonight.”  
Rebbeca bit her lip, pondering her options. Okay, and then, mommy will be so happy. And then maybe, daddy will want to hug me.”  
Beca’s heart snapped. It was all she could do to not crush Rebbeca with a hug.  
“Maybe sweetie.”  
They got out of the car. Beca stopped to pick up the mail.  
“Rebs, do you remember Mrs. Purdue?”  
“Oh yeah!” Rebbeca shouted, listening to the slight echo of her voice.  
Beca laughed. “Well I have to give her her mail, do you want to help?”  
Rebbeca nodded. “Very much,” she told Beca gravely.  
“All right then. Here you go, these are the letters for Mrs. Purdue. You hold them, and I will hold my letters.”  
They walked to Mrs. Purdue’s apartment, and Beca knocked on the door. It was promptly answered but he old lady, who shuffled them inside when she saw Beca-suddenly near tears-and Rebbeca-also very close to crying.  
“We brought your mail Mrs. Purdue.” Rebbeca’s small voice filled the apartment, but her chin quivered.  
Beca immediately knelt down. “Hey, Rebs. What’s the matter? Hey, don’t cry. It’s okay.”  
Rebbeca shook her head. “It-it’s not o-o-okay though,” she said through shuddering breaths. “Mommy is in the h-h-hosp-p-pital and da-addy is g-going to j-jail. And then, who’s going to take care of me?”  
She collapsed into Beca’s arms. “Rebbeca, that’s why I’m here. Your mommy sent me to take care of you while she couldn’t, and you know what?”  
“What?” came a tiny, muffled, voice from Beca’s shoulder.  
“We’re going to go see your mommy in a little bit, okay? But right now, we have to be strong okay? We’re going to go eat something, and maybe watch a movie, and then get something for dinner to eat with your mom.”  
Rebbeca’s shuddering breaths slowly lessened. “Could we get some Chinese food and mint ice cream?”  
“Yeah! Of course!” Beca began to set Rebbeca down. “Let's go back to my house, and we can get some ice cream and figure out where we’re going to go for dinner.”  
Rebbeca wiped her face, and grasped at Beca’s hand. “Goodbye Mrs. Purdue.”  
“Goodbye darlings, and,” this was directed at Beca, “if you need anything. Let me know.”


	34. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Happy Thursday! Today we have Chloe reporting from her hospital room with Beca and Rebs and some chow mein. I haven’t ever actually had Chinese food except for once, so I had to look up things to order at a Chinese restaurant. Things are picking up for Beca and Chloe, and you will be happy to know that I probably will not kill either of them off-but I am still considering it. Triggers for mental illnesses, abuse and domestic violence, and eating disorders. Also hospitals. I don’t own these characters, but if I did I would make Bechloe canon. Thank you for reading, have a great day, and enjoy!

Chloe woke up with an immense pain in her leg, and a headache. Chloroform would do that to you, she supposed. A nurse came bustling in as Chloe’s stomach roiled. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling, and she was very grateful when the nurse handed her a small basin.  
She promptly vomited into it.  
“Darling, you have some visitors outside. I believe one is your daughter but the other is not related to you. Do you think you feel up to seeing them?”  
Chloe nodded. _Rebs and Becs,_ she thought, still a little incoherent. The nurse scurried out, and about a minute later, Beca and Rebbeca were standing in the doorway. Well, Beca was. The minute Rebs saw Chloe, she practically pounced on her mother.  
“Mommy!”  
“Hey honey!” It was nice to see her daughter. And nice to know that Beca hadn’t had a mental breakdown. Or at least, hadn’t had one to the point where she couldn’t do anything but lay in bed for two days.  
“Mommy! Mommy! Beca taught me the cup song! But with a cup! I know you said you were going to teach me, but she said it could be my get well soon present! And we made cards!” Rebbeca ran over to Beca-still standing in the doorway-and grabbed a piece of construction paper laden with what looked like glitter glue and marker scribbles. Beca still held another piece of paper.  
“Wow Rebs!” Chloe told her. “This is awesome!” She momentarily forgot about the pain in her leg. The pain of her life.  
“We brought Chinese food, and the nurse said you could have it! She said it was smart of me to think of bringing it ‘cause the cafe food is yucky.”  
Chloe laughed, and gestured for Beca to come in. “Come on Becs, I would very much like some of the non-yucky food.”  
Beca smiled, obviously still hesitant, but she made her way in the room, takeout bag in hand.  
“We got you Chow Mein, because Rebs said it was your favorite, and we got shrimp with vermicelli and garlic because that’s what your daughter wanted, and I got dumplings. But we can all share or not share or whatever. I don’t know how you usually do dinner, Chlo.”  
Chloe smiled in a manner she hoped looked reassuring. “Becs, it’s fine. This looks amazing! Thank you for coming and watching Rebs and everything too. It really means a lot to me.”  
Beca nodded. “Any time. She’s so sweet. If you want, I can take her for the night. Oh! And, I still have your phone. Here,” she tossed it to Chloe who caught it with much more ease than Beca had.  
“Thank you m’lady.”  
Beca bowed. “My pleasure madam.”  
“Mommy? Can we eat now?” It was Rebbeca, and both women laughed.  
“Of course Rebbeca. Beca, you brought napkins right?”  
“Always the mother,” grumbled Beca, reaching in her bag. “Of course I brought napkins.”  
After passing out food and settling into chairs, Rebbeca recounted everything she and Beca had done that day, and what she did at school, and soon she began to nod off. Climbing into Beca’s lap-a gesture that surprised both the brunette and the other redhead-Rebbeca promptly fell asleep.  
Beca began to stroke her hair. “So… Chlo…” Conversation, which had flowed so easily earlier, seemed to stop, the river of words dried up.  
“Beca…” Chloe wasn’t going to bother Beca with all the things in her head, but she couldn’t help herself. She took a deep breath, and let the fam of thoughts break. “Beca, I don’t have insurance for this. And Rebs, Rebs What are we going to do about her? She’s probably devastated that she won't be able to see Daddy anymore. And, my leg hurts. They said I could go home tomorrow, but what home do I really have? The only reason to stay would be Rebs’ school, and she’s a kid she could adapt. But Tom owns the house and who knows what the court would do with that. And, and, and I told you that I loved you and I do, I just don’t know if Rebbeca could handle it. And Beca?”  
Beca had slowly set Rebbeca down on the chair-sliding her off her lap-and made her way to Chloe’s side, gently rubbing her back. “Yes Chlo?”  
“I haven’t eaten. I’ve started doing the things we worked so hard to not do in college. don’t eat. Sometimes I don’t drink. I’m a mess! I got shot by my husband who beat me and abused me and probably cheated on me. I have no friends. Aubrey barely talks to me anymore and that’s probably my fault. I would never have even told you what was going on if you hadn’t found Rebs that day on the playground.” Chloe took a shuddering breath. _There, now you’ve done it. Ruined your chances for a relationship with Beca. She probably thinks you’re a freak. A stupid little girl who doesn’t know anything._  
But Beca stayed where she was, rubbing Chloe’s back. Caring for her. Chloe leaned her head onto Beca’s shoulder.  
“Chlo?”  
“Yes Beca?”  
“Chloe, you are one of the strongest people I have ever met. You are an amazing mom, I mean, the whole time Rebs was at my place, she would be talking about you. ‘Mommy is so strong. I don’t know why she’d have to go to the hospital.’ ‘I can’t wait to see Mommy soon.’ ‘Beca do you think we could make cards for Mommy?’ Chloe, she loves you so much! And about not eating, we can beat it again. We beat it again! We did in college, and I know it was hard, but we can do it again. I’ll help you! And insurance. About that. Well, I thought maybe you would let me pay for this hospital stint, and then if you wanted to, you could come live with me and then you and Rebs could get on my plan.”  
Chloe wrapped her arms around Beca. “Thank you,” she whispered.  
“And Tom is out of your life now. He’s gone. He’ll never be able to hurt you again. And if he does, well, I took some karate lessons and I’m actually pretty good.”  
Chloe laughed, and Beca turned to look at her. Their eyes locked, and a silent agreement was reached. Beca leaned in, Chloe leaned up, and their lips connected. They embraced the other, deepening the kiss, but restraining the tongue. No need to get too carried away.  
When they broke apart, Beca turned to Chloe.  
“Thank you. I needed that.”  
“Any time,” Chloe replied, slightly breathless.  
“Chlo, do you want me to take Rebs back to my house? It is a school night, and even though I don’t have pyjamas for her, I can give her some of my old stuff to wear and it might be more comfortable than sleeping in a hospital chair.”  
Chloe didn’t want Beca to go. But she had to, for Rebs. The fog was returning anyway, and she was pretty sure she was going to black out soon. “Yeah. You can go.”  
“I’ll be back as soon as I can tomorrow, okay? I promise. Don’t die on me.”  
The threat was meant to be funny, sweet, but the darker nuances were not lost on either of them. Beca picked up the little girl, still curled on the seat and headed for the door.  
“Bye Beca. See you tomorrow. I love you.”  
“I love you too Chloe. Very, very much.”


	35. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! My chapters are getting longer (three cheers for me!) and today’s is probably the longest yet. I used the song Feed the Birds from Mary Poppins because it’s a great lullaby and I am also a theatre nerd. Triggers for anxiety, people being sick (it’s mentioned over the phone), and I think that’s it.  
> I would like to say in reassurance for all of you who are wondering, Chloe will not die by her gunshot wound. That’s as much as I can give you. I don’t own these characters, and thanks for reading, I hope you like this chapter, and have a great Friday!

Beca hadn’t wanted to leave Chloe alone at the hospital, but Rebbeca had fallen asleep, and she had to go to school the next day. Then they kissed, and Beca forgot everything for just a moment. _Is this what finding your soulmate feels like?_ she wondered for a moment. Kisses with Jesse had been nice, but they elicited no more feeling than a slight peace and security-like a kiss from a parent before bed.  
She lifted Rebbeca out of the chair, and turned for the door.  
“Bye Beca. See you tomorrow.” A hesitation. “I love you.”  
“I love you too Chloe.” She didn’t hesitate. “Very, very much.”  
She loaded Rebbeca into her car, heading back to her apartment. Then she realized she didn’t have anything for Rebbeca, like a toothbrush. _Oh well, she’ll live without brushing her teeth for one night._ She continued driving, occasionally glancing in the rear view mirror at the sleeping child in the back. Beca was grateful Rebs looked like her mother and not Tom. _Tom. She’d have to figure something out about the charges. And the money._ Beca had plenty of money-enough to pay for the hospital without worrying too much-but she wasn’t sure how much it would cost if Tom took them to court. Pulling into the parking spot, Beca slipped out of the car and shut the door as quietly as she could. Rebbeca woke up in the backseat, and as Beca opened her door, the girl’s eyes widened and her face went pale. Like Chloe’s did before a panic attack.  
“Hey, Rebs.” Beca enacted damage control as quickly as she could. “Rebs, it’s me. It’s Ms. Beca. Rebs it’s all right. Your dad’s not here. Remember? You’re safe.”  
As she spoke, she slid into the car next to Rebbeca, gently reaching her arm around the small girl. “It’s all right Rebs. It’s all right.”  
“Daddy won’t hurt mommy anymore?”  
“No sweetie.”  
“Are you and mommy going to get married?” Rebbeca asked sleepily, eyes beginning to drop once more-panic attack passing.  
Beca laughed. “It’s a little early for that question.”  
“Well if you did, Beca, I wouldn’t mind.”  
Beca smiled. “Thank you Rebs. That means a lot to me. But right now we have to go get some sleep, okay? Do you want me to carry you?”  
Rebbeca sleepily leaned into Beca. “Yeah,” she mumbled.  
“Okay. One, two, three.” Beca expected her to be heavier, but she was really light. Balancing Rebbeca on her hip, Beca grabbed her purse and made her way to her apartment. As she let them in, she realized the floor was still covered in glass. _Lucky you carried Rebs. Chlo never would have forgiven you if she got hurt.  
You never would have forgiven yourself either._  
“Beca?”  
“Yeah?” She was navigating the kitchen now, ignoring the annoyance she had about wearing shoes past the front door.  
“I don’t have any pyjamas.”  
“You can borrow a shirt of mine if you like, and I’ll wash the clothes you’re wearing now so you can wear them again tomorrow, how does that sound?”  
“Okay.” She lapsed back into silence, then spoke up again. “Beca?”  
“Yeah?” They’d reached the guest room and Beca was moving all the stuff she kept on the bed normally, on the floor.  
“Do I have to brush my teeth?”  
“Do you want to brush your teeth?”  
“No.”  
“Then you don’t have to, we’ll just have to brush them tomorrow.”  
“Okay.” Rebbeca took off her shoes and her jacket. “I left my backpack in your car.”  
“That’s fine.” Beca handed Rebs an old Bellas shirt. “Do you need help changing?”  
“No. I’ll open the door when I’m done.” But then Rebbeca’s eyes started to fill with tears. “Mommy always reads me a story and sings me a song before bed.”  
“Okay, don’t cry Rebs. It’s kind of late for a story, but how about I sing you a song, okay?”  
Rebbeca nodded tearfully.  
“I’m going to go into the hallway Rebs, and stand right there while you change. Then I’m going to come back in when you open the door.”  
“Okay.”  
Beca stood in the hallway, leaning against the wall. _Okay Beca. We have to do some things before we go to bed._ She began to list them in her head.  
_Call Theo and say you aren’t coming in to work tomorrow.  
Clean up glass.  
Stuff window with paper.  
Make tea.  
Go to sleep.  
Five things Beca, you can handle five things._  
Rebbeca opened the door. “You can come in now.”  
Beca slipped inside. “Do you know what song you want me to sing?”  
“Yes.” Rebbeca paused. “Beca?”  
“Rebs?”  
“Will you leave the hall light on maybe? Mommy left the light on in the hallway because then Daddy wouldn’t hit her there. He didn’t hit her when there was light.”  
Beca nodded. “Yeah, of course.” She took Rebbeca’s hand and led her to the bed, tucking her in. “What song should I sing?”  
“Do you know _Feed the Birds_?”  
“The one from Mary Poppins?”  
“Yeah. Mommy likes it.”  
Beca laughed. “Of course she does. You know, when she was little, your mommy was Mary Poppins for Halloween four years in a row. She told me she liked being a magic lady who helped people.”  
Rebbeca smiled, and snuggled down into the covers.  
Beca began to sing.  
_Early each day, to the steps of Saint Paul’s  
The little old bird woman comes  
In her own special way to the people she calls  
Come buy my bags full of crumbs_

_Come feed the little birds  
Show them you care  
And you’ll be glad if you do  
They’re young ones are hungry  
Their nests are so bare  
All it takes is tuppence from you_

Rebbeca snuggled deeper into the pillows, breathing slowing and getting heavier.

_Feed the birds  
Tuppence a bag  
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag  
Feed the birds, that’s what she cries  
While overhead, her birds fill the skies_

_All around the cathedral the saints and apostles  
Look down as she sells her ware  
And although you can’t see it  
You know they are smiling  
Each time someone shows that he cares_

Beca watched her ward sleeping so easily despite all that had happened.

_Though her words are simple and few  
Listen, listen, she’s calling to you  
Feed the birds, tuppence a bag  
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag_

_Though her words, are simple and few  
Listen, listen, she’s calling to you  
Feed the birds, tuppence a bag  
Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag_

Beca slipped quietly out the room, leaving the door open, and a sleeping Rebbeca behind her. She made her way to the kitchen, dialed Theo on her phone, cradling it between her ear and shoulder as she began to sweep up the glass. She hadn’t taken off her shoes yet.  
Theo answered. She wasn’t expecting that.  
“Hey, Theo! Why are you up so late?”  
“I could ask you the same thing,” he said. “You called me.”  
“I suppose,” Beca muttered.  
“Well, what is it?” he asked, a hacking cough coming from somewhere on his side of the phone.  
“Oh, are you sick? I’ll leave you alone, I was going to tell you that I couldn’t come to work tomorrow, but I might have to if you aren’t going.”  
“I’m fine,” Theo told her, although the sneezing seemed to undermine his words.  
“No no no. If you go in tomorrow, Khaled’s going to make you go home.”  
“Well why weren’t you going to be there tomorrow? And why is there so much crackling coming from your end, do you have bad connection or something?”  
“No, I’m…I’m sweeping up glass because my friend who actually is probably more like my girlfriend now, her husband broke the window to my front door, and shot her. So she’s in the hospital, he’s in jail, and I have her daughter.”  
Theo made a choking sound that may have been a laugh. “I’ll go in tomorrow.”  
“No Theo. I’ll just tell him I’ll be late. And maybe leave early.”  
“Mk,” came the response, obviously through gritted teeth.  
“Theo I’m hanging up now, I don’t want to hear you vomiting. Feel better.”  
No reply, so she pressed end. She was done sweeping. Beca shoved some paper into the hole of a window, then sat down at her kitchen table. She couldn’t remember what her other things on her list were. She was tired. Exhausted. She laid her head down on the tabletop. _Just a minute._ She was asleep before her minute was up.


	36. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Triggers for being in the hospital today, but nothing else really. It’s mostly a filler chapter as I try to pass time for Chloe’s leg to heal. She should be discharged in Monday’s chapter. Thank you for reading and au do not own these characters.

Chloe woke up every time a nurse came in to check on her. She was a light sleeper. She could blame that on Tom.  
It was nine before she got breakfast, and she’d been up since five. She’d been watching Muppet Babies most of the morning.  
It was nine thirty when Beca came scurrying in.  
“Hey Chlo,” she paused, obviously hesitant about how to greet the woman in the bed.  
“Beca! Come here so I can kiss you!”  
Beca’s face lit up. “Yes,” she whispered and Chloe smiled because her soon to be girlfriend was a dork.  
She kissed Beca lightly on the cheek, then pulled her closer and kissed her heavily on the lips. Neither wanted to pull away. But air is a necessity and it is impossible to go without, even when one is heatedly kissing.  
“So, how was Rebs?” Chloe asked, scooting over so Beca could sit beside her.  
“Oh she was fine. We had toast this morning, and she told me all about how you make the best pancakes.”  
“Did she give you any trouble last night?”  
“No, I sang her a song, and then she went to bed. I sat with her for a minute. She’s such a sweet girl.”  
Chloe leaned her head on Beca’s shoulder, “I’ve missed you so much.”  
“I missed you too.”  
An alarm went off on Beca’s phone. “Shoot! I have to go to work.”  
Chloe felt a small sense of disappointment tingle her chest. _Of course Beca wouldn’t take off work for you, you’re not quite that important yet._  
“I would’ve taken off all day if I could, but Theo’s sick and Khaled doesn’t like it when neither of us are there,” Beca continued as she pulled out a portable charger, gum, and a water bottle from her purse. “Say! Chloe! They hired a new lawyer, and do you know who they are?”  
There was rather a lot going on, and Chloe was having a bit of trouble following the conversation. “Um… no. I don’t know. Beca you didn’t need to bring all this for me.”  
Somehow Beca had managed to fit a change of clothes for Chloe in her purse.  
“It's fine Chloe. I probably should’ve given you back these clothes a long time ago. I think I accidentally took them from the apartment believing they were mine.”  
Chloe looked over and indeed saw a pair of jeans, sweater, and jacket that had all been hers in college. “Well I’m glad you had them. I don’t know if I could have stood it if you had to go to the house.”  
“It’s not your house?”  
“Tom owns it.” Chloe paused. “Who’s the new lawyer?”  
“Oh right, yes. It’s Aubrey, Chlo! She’s to help sort out all the charges fans have if they decide they wanted to be my friend and I told them no.”  
“That’s great Becs!”  
“Yeah. She’s _so_ much better when she can’t boss me around.”  
Chloe swatted Beca on the arm. “Go to work Beca. You’ll pick up Rebs right?”  
“Of course Chlo! And tonight you and I will figure out what to do with the house. Okay?”  
Chloe swallowed hard. “Okay.”


	37. Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Triggers for car accidents and people being sick.

Beca walked in her office, and immediately knew that Theo was at work. They shared a glass wall. Theo was slumped over his desk. Beca knocked on the wall and he sat up, looking around for the disturbance. Beca picked up the window marker she kept with her pens, and began writing.  
 _Theo go home, you’re sick and I don’t want anyone here to get sick._  
She and him had long ago mastered the art of writing backwards so the other person could read it. Theo shuffled from his desk, audible coughing coming from his side of the wall. Instinctively, Beca backed up, and he rolled his eyes.  
 _I don’t want to go home._  
They locked gazes.  
 _Why not?_  
Theo was almost always the first one out the door to head to his house. Always claiming he had to feed his dog.  
 _My dog._  
Oh. That explained it then.  
 _Theo, please listen to me. Go home. Get better. I can help you with your grief but not if you’re dying of sickness._  
He looked at her.  
 _My dog won’t let me sleep. She thinks I’m dead._  
Beca flushed.  
 _My bad. I still think you should go home though. Mostly because we don’t need another 1918 flu epidemic._  
Theo rolled his eyes.  
 _Fine mom._  
Laughing, Beca turned as if to go back to her desk, then turned back to Theo. He had gone back to his desk. She rapped on the glass and gave his bloodshot eyes a warning look. Sighing, he gathered his things and made a large show of moving to the door. His performance was undermined slightly by his sneezes but he left. Beca was alone.  
At least until Aubrey knocked on her door. Beca had just finished connecting her computer for the most recent changes to her newest mix.  
“Come in Aubrey.”  
“Hey Beca.”  
“Hi, what do you want?”  
Aubrey took on an offended look. “Why do you assume I want something?”  
“Well, in college you only talked to me when you wanted something. So why should it be any different now that you work for me?”  
“Beca, Chloe texted me.”  
“Oh.  
“Yeah.”  
Beca busied herself, fiddling with the knobs and buttons on her set.  
“Are you alright Beca?”  
“I’m fine Aubrey.”  
Aubrey pulled up one of the random chairs Beca had in her office.  
“I know you haven’t been in a good place recently Beca.”  
“Khaled told you?”  
“No. Theo did. He’s kind of cute you know.”  
“You’re dating Jesse, Aubrey.”  
Aubrey laughed, and Beca joined her. It felt nice to laugh.  
“I’ve dated a lot of people Beca. Although you,” she punctuated “you” by dropping a folder full of paperwork on the table, “seem to have dated or cheated or tempted at least half of New York.”  
Beca let a small snort out. “Yeah, that’s what happens as a celebrity.”  
“Beca, they think you owe them something.”  
“I owe them nothing Aubrey. I don’t care about them.”  
“I know, but you still have to sign these saying you haven’t hurt them or anything.”  
Beca sighed. “Fine.” She pulled out a pen and began methodically working her way through the stack, using the post it notes Aubrey had neatly placed on the sheets indicating where she should sign. “So how are you Aubrey?”  
“I’m doing well Beca. Thank you. How are you, though? You and Chloe finally going to tie the knot?”  
Beca’s pen wobbled, a scribble appearing where her name should have been. “It’s a little soon for that Aubrey.”  
“You’ve known each other for years Beca. I think you should get her as soon as you can.”  
“Bold strokes from you.”  
Aubrey sighed. “I haven’t found my Chloe yet Beca. I knew she was a goner the minute she suggested talking to you at the Activities Fair. Of course, the whole shower incident really sealed the deal though.”  
“Well I didn’t know it.”  
“And that’s where you went wrong Beca. She tried so hard to tell you how she felt. But you know Chloe. And then she stopped eating, and you were the only one she let get close.”  
Beca paused, lifting her pen so it didn’t bleed through the stack of paper which she had made quite a headway through.  
Aubrey continued. “Beca she loves you. And I know you love her too. I can see it in the way you look at her, and the fact that your password is still her birthday.”  
“Why do you know my password?”  
“That’s beside the point Beca.”  
Beca sighed and went back to her pile. “Aubrey I love her, and you know that. I know that. Rebbeca knows that. But I don’t know how to tell her.”  
Aubrey smiled. “I can help you with that.”  
***  
“You think she’ll like this one Aubrey?”  
“I think she’ll like any of the rings. Because they’re coming from you.”  
“And I’m not going too fast?”  
“Your relationship will be fine.”  
***  
Beca found Rebbeca sitting in the same swing she had that first day her life changed.  
“Beca!”  
Rebbeca ran to hug her.  
“Hey Rebs! Ready to go see your mom?”  
“Oh yes!” Rebbeca jumped up and down, and then grabbed Beca’s hand. “I made mommy a picture. It’ll help her get better.”  
Beca smiled. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”  
They walked to the car, and Beca opened the door. They got in. Beca buckled the small girl in, cursing herself for forgetting to buy a car seat.  
“Ready Rebs?”  
“Yup!” Rebbeca shouted. “Can we listen to the Bellas CD?” she added a little more quietly.  
“Sure.” Beca began to back out, flipping on the radio as she set up the CD.  
Her song began playing and Rebbeca began singing along. “Mommy loves this song,” she told Beca.  
Beca nodded, biting her tongue as a car zoomed past without stopping at the sign. She was lucky she was paying attention.  
The song finished, and Beca turned on the CD. “Any requests?”  
“Can we listen to that one with all the French words?”  
Beca smiled. “Yeah.” She turned to track fifteen. _Elle Me Dit_ began playing. Rebbeca knew the words exactly.  
Beca glanced back, and ended up staring. She wasn’t paying attention.  
***  
There was screaming. Lots of screaming. Beca hurt all over. She cried for Rebbeca. There was no answer. It was too bright. Too dark. Too much.  
The ambulances were too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I should apologize, but I’m not going too. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even if it wasn’t what you were expecting, and thank you for reading.


	38. Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it. The last chapter. I feel like I should apologize for yesterday, but also, I don’t think I will. I am sorry if yesterday’s chapter turned you off my writing. I don’t blame you. I would like to thank yuh for reading one last time, remind you that I don’t own these characters, and also tell you that there are triggers of car accidents, but that’s really it. Thank you for sticking with me the whole way. I don’t deserve y’all. You’re the best.

Chloe got the news from Aubrey. They cried for a long time. Rebbeca was safe enough. But Beca was dead.  
 _It was an accident,_ they told her. _I’m so sorry, I wish we could have been there. Stopped the car_.  
Chloe’s life was a haze of pain. Of drugs. The hospital sent her home. Chloe didn’t go home. She went to Beca’s. Rebs stayed in the hospital another two days. Then she too went to Beca’s. Aubrey came by every day. She made Chloe food and made her get out of bed.  
Chloe didn’t want to.  
Rebbeca was quiet. A shell. Mrs. Purdue came over two or three times a week to take the girl off Chloe’s hands.  
 _Go do something fun,_ she said.  
Chloe didn’t go anywhere.  
Aubrey told Chloe that Beca had written her into the will. All the Bellas were in the will. But Chloe most of all.  
 _She loved you, you know._  
I know.  
 _She wanted to marry you._  
I know.  
 _She had a ring._  
I know.  
The hospital had given it to her. She never took it off. She cried herself to sleep. Rebbeca cried herself to sleep too.  
Chloe would wake up in the middle of the night, terrified. _Tom is coming back to hurt you. He’s going to hurt you bad enough so you almost die but don’t._ Rebbeca would be in bed with her, her pillow soaked with tears.  
Aubrey showed Chloe the will. Beca had given Chloe the apartment. Most of the money. Her photographs. Beca had known how much Chloe loved the photographs.  
Beca had given Chloe money too. Almost all of it. Some had gone to Beca’s dad (none to Sheila though), some had gone to Barden, but most had been given to Chloe.  
Emily got Beca’s mixing equipment.  
Stacy got Beca’s shoes (despite their height difference their feet were the same sizes).  
Amy got Beca’s stuffed animals that she kept in the back of the closet.  
Flo got Beca’s favorite necklace.  
Jessica and Ashley got most of Beca’s books.  
The list went on. Chloe got everything else. Beca had written letters too. Hundreds of them. To Chloe mostly, but to the Bellas, to her father, to herself.  
Aubrey read hers to Chloe one day when Rebbeca was at school.  
 _Dear Aubrey,  
If you’re reading this, it means I am dead. Don’t mourn me too much. I had my time. Despite not believing the “gay people go to Hell” stuff at church, I do believe in the “you have your purpose on Earth and will serve it” ideas. I’m sorry I had to go. I will miss you. Sorry the tenses are all weird, it’s a little hard to write to a person from a perspective you can’t really imagine. Stay with Chloe. Please. She needs you. I needed you. All those years at Barden-I never would have stayed that first year if you hadn’t agreed to let me in the Bellas. Thank you. I gave you my Bellas notebook. It has every single song we ever sang in it. Dates, pictures, letters. I wrote some, some were from boyfriends that got tossed in the trash. Some I found laying on Amy’s desk. Those are always a laugh.   
Aubrey you’re one of the strongest people I know. Physically and mentally, and I want to tell you that it’s okay to cry. Don’t put up your walls to not seem like you need help. I have a list of counselors at the bottom. Go to one. You’ll thank me later. Aubrey… I don’t know how to thank you for all the ways you’ve changed my life. You and Chloe-because I know you’re reading this to her. If she hasn’t had the strength to open her letter yet, tell her this from me, Chloe, you don’t ever have to open that letter if you don’t want to. You can sell the apartment. Forget about me. I won’t blame you. You can stay, and that would be fine too. But I love you Chloe, and I want you to know that. I love you so, so much._  
Aubrey paused, biting her tongue to stop tears from staining the page. Chloe was crying. She hadn’t opened the letter. She didn’t know if she could. Rebbeca hadn’t opened hers either.  
“Should I keep going?” Aubrey asked quietly.  
“Yes.”  
 _But back to you Aubrey. I know I’ve said this already, but truly, thank you for everything. Thank you for making me sing that stupid Ace of Base song every day, for at least two hours. And thanks for not kicking me out when I hooked up with Jesse. Just kidding, that really never actually happened. In his dreams maybe. I hope you have a good rest of your life. When you die though, there will be a special place in the Afterlife for you. Somewhere where you see your dad every day (I’m not stupid I saw how happy you were at the USO tour), somewhere where when you sing, everyone appreciates it. And I’ll be there. Waiting, for you.  
Love,  
Beca_  
Aubrey sat on the couch a long time. Chloe was silent beside her. Neither spoke for a long time.  
***  
 _Dear Chloe,_  
That was as far as Chloe could get. She couldn’t read any more words. Her breathing intensified. Her head swam. She couldn’t. So she didn’t. She placed the letter on the dresser that used to be Beca’s, and looked at it every day. Rebbeca had opened hers ages ago, and they had read it together.  
Then, Chloe made herself move on. But those weren’t the right words. She dragged Beca with her. Sometimes a scarf, sometimes a hair tie. Sometimes even one of Beca’s bras. She never left the house without something of Beca’s. It was easy, and became habit. Chloe kept going. She went to a therapist. She was silent for a long time that first session.  
Chloe watched Rebbeca grow up. _It’s terrible, how little time they got together. They would’ve been fast friends._  
She reached for her tea, tears flooding her eyes. She didn’t drink raspberry tea anymore.  
***  
Aubrey lived with her now. Rebbeca had moved out. To college. Barden University. Another Legacy. Chloe got pictures. Rebbeca was going to be an electrical engineer. But she would be one with a killer voice.  
Aubrey and Chloe kept each other company. It was nice. Like old times.  
Neither mentioned the hole in their hearts. They stepped around it, over it. Chloe couldn’t bear to address it, for fear of being forced to fill it in.  
 _Dear Chloe,  
I am so sorry._  
She still couldn’t go any further.  
***  
She was driving down to Georgia. Chloe stopped at a Waffle House. Beca loved Waffle Houses. Chloe was an old lady now. Seventy four. Beca had been gone from her life for thirty five years. Time made Chloe shudder. She pulled out the letter. She knew what she had to do before she got to Barden.  
 _Dear Chloe,  
I am so sorry. I am so sorry for leaving you. For making you bear this burden. I hope I told you this before I died. I love you Chloe. I have loved you ever since you burst into my shower begging me to sing your lady jam. I was so grossed out.  
Thank you for everything you have given me. Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Good Omens, Rebbeca. Your love. Even just your platonic kisses made my days so much better. Don’t stop eating Chloe. Please. I don’t know when you’re going to read this letter, or how long after I die you’ll finally be able to get past the first two lines, but Chloe, take care of yourself. It’s like Hamilton says, “take your time”. I’ll see you on the other side my darling. Sweetie. Honey. Sweetheart. Did we ever make up pet names for each other? I suppose we already have Becs and Chlo. Did I mention how much I love you?  
You are one of the most amazing people I’ve met. And I’ve met three of the Wiggles. Intimately. Remember when Amy said that? Remember all the things we said we’d do when we thought we were invincible? Not afraid of anything. And you’re still not afraid of anything._  
A tear ran down Chloe’s cheek and she swiped it away. _Oh Beca. I’m so afraid._  
 _Or at least, you're brave enough to do whatever you're afraid of. Because you’re strong. Because I love you. Because you are so, so good Chloe Beale. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without you. No job with Khalid. No Bellas to lean on. No Rebbeca. I’ve only known her for a few days, but I know that she is going places. Your daughter is amazing. Maybe one day, she’ll be my daughter too._  
Chloe bit her tongue to keep her vision in focus. _She is Becs, she is your daughter too._  
 _Chloe, I can’t stand the idea of leaving you. But I may have to, and I want to tell you how sorry I am that I have to go. But I’ll see you soon enough my love. And then, in the famous words of Anthony J. Crowley, “you have to deal with eTerniTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!”_  
Chloe laughed. It took a lot to make her laugh, but slowly she had begun to laugh more.  
 _And you’ll have me with you Chloe. Because you’re so good, and I, well, I hope I end up with you. But if not, you’ll have so much. You won’t remember me._  
The laughter died. _Beca you’ll be there. We’ll be together in the Afterlife. And I would never forget you. Never  
Chloe, I need you to stay strong. And I need you to do one last thing for me._  
Chloe’s heart dropped. What if she was too late in reading the letter to do this task? What if… She forced herself to finish the paragraph.  
 _Chloe I need you to make me a batch of pancakes. If you can, also, go to a Waffle House for me. Preferably that one by Barden where we would go all the time. The one Stacie hooked up with the chef at so we could get discounts. The one Amy threw up at when we all were sick from traveling, and she insisted on dragging the two of us to it “because of the memories”. It wasn’t funny at the time, but it is now.  
I will miss you so much. And I love you so much. Good luck Chloe Beale. Have a good life.  
Love,  
Beca_  
Tears slipped down Chloe’s face. She slid the letter in her jacket pocket and started the gas. She was going to the Waffle House. She drove in silence for a long time. Music wasn’t the same to her after Beca died. But she still enjoyed it. Pulling on to the highway, she flipped on the radio.  
Beca’s song was playing. The one she’d written for Chloe. The one she’d told Chloe had been written for her. The one Beca had put as the first song on the I Love Chloe Beale mixtape that had been left to her in the will.  
 _Killer Queen because you’re my queen, and I suppose I could’ve picked a less dark song title, but you slay me with your smile. Sorry, that’s so cheesy. And also because Freddie Mercury.  
O’ Côme All Ye Faithful because you’re always complaining about how no one plays Christmas songs in the summer. It’s hidden in the background, but I know you can find it.  
Call Me Maybe because, well, you know why.  
Flashlight, I Saw the Sign, Cheap Thrills because of the Bellas.  
And Fireflies by Owl City because you light up the world like fireflies, and it’s much nicer to think that I have fireflies in my stomach than butterflies._  
It was enough to make anyone smile. Chloe stopped at the restaurant, ordering enough for her and Beca, and wrapping all of Beca’s food for the hotel refrigerator. It would keep long enough. She stopped at a store for pancake ingredients. She had money to spend, so she spent it. She bought the fanciest syrup she could find. Beca loved syrup.  
At the hotel, she heated up the stove in her mini kitchen. She slipped a handful of chocolate chips in her mouth, and watched her pancakes bubble. She made enough for two, but only ate half. Then she went to the dean’s office to check in. She crossed the street without looking. It was an accident. She should have looked. But maybe, she thought as the paramedics told her to _hold on_ and _don’t let go,_ it was fate. She didn’t want to hold on anymore anyway. Chloe looked up at the sky.  
 _I love you Beca Mitchell._


End file.
